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Global Health Econ Sustain Resilience, income, artists, COVID-19

Observatory, 2020b). Of the individuals who work in income among performance and visual artists in South
this sector of the economy, an overwhelming portion Africa, as well as the relationship between resilience pre-
were exposed to financial hardships due to job losses pandemic and during the pandemic, and art activities.
or a reduction of income. Many have turned to their
savings and families to support them financially (South 2. Methods
African Cultural Observatory, 2020b). The South African 2.1. Design and research participants
Creative Practitioners Union protested at the official seat
of the South African Government, the Union Buildings, to The study was of quantitative analytic design in which self-
decry the large majority of artists who were without work report data were generated through a purpose-designed
and a source of income since the commencement of the questionnaire incorporating a standard measure of
national lockdown in March 2020 (Tshikalange, 2020). In resilience, art activity items, and financial income variables.
December 2021, over 600 days later, the country was still The study, situated in South Africa, recruited participants
under lockdown. through social media networks and online data collection.
The study population consists of visual and performance
Strikingly, we have witnessed adjustments made by
artists underpinned by their ability to transform resiliently, artists in South Africa who were responsive through social
remain productive, and keep making a living as an artist media networks. The inclusion criteria for participants
through social media and online platforms. For example, were visual and performance artists with a qualification
in the visual arts, with the move by galleries, art shows, in visual or performance art from a tertiary educational
and exhibitions to online platforms, artists have been institution; were practicing art irrespective of this being
able to display their works virtually, communicate with their primary source of income or whether they do so
the public, and sell their artworks. Furthermore, artists full-time; and responded to the invitation to participate in
this study. The artists had been anticipated to be typically
have responded to the pandemic in a socially responsive active in tangible artworks (e.g., paintings, sculpting, and
manner through their art activities. This may be expected printing), music (e.g., music-making and composing),
considering the observation that during periods of drama and or theater, dance, and art-based therapies (e.g.,
complexity, music, film, image, textiles, and objects offer music therapy and art therapy).
hope, inspiration, and ways to understand ourselves within
a changing world (Ebersohn, 2020). Of interest to our 2.2. Data collection, variables, and measurements
study is how performance and visual artists have navigated Following recruitment through social media networks,
these complexities and engaged in art activities drawing on data were collected for 7 months (July 2020 – February
their personal resilience.
2021), during which COVID-19 lockdown regulations
Although the South African Cultural Observatory has applied. A purpose-designed questionnaire was completed
published several reports on the impact of COVID-19 on by participants using Qualtrics as an online interface. The
the South African creative and cultural industry landscape questionnaire addressed the following variables:
(South African Cultural Observatory, 2020a; b), there
has been no specific study devoted to examining the i. The demographic variables were age and gender.
ii. The art-related descriptive variables were: the main art
experienced impact of the pandemic on artists’ resilience fields, for example, visual art, performing art (music,
and art activities. The present study is informed by a drama, and dance), and a combination of visual
body of literature on resilience as applied to visual and and performing art (including art therapy); years of
performance artists (Siddins et al., 2016; Pérez-Ibañez & experience in the arts after obtaining a first tertiary
López-Aparicio, 2018; Kegelaers et al., 2021). This body qualification in an art discipline; and the highest
of literature has underscored that resilience is a “critical tertiary qualification in an art discipline.
psychological characteristic to safeguard” against the iii. The employment and financial income variables were
occupational stresses associated with a career in the arts. whether mainly employed institutionally or self-
Some of these stresses include high levels of job insecurity, employed; the average monthly gross income during
financial instability, career unpredictability, under- 2019; and the average monthly gross income during
employment, and oversupply of the creative workforce. the 6 months preceding their participation in the study.
These stresses have undeniably heightened during the iv. The ten-item, well-validated, and reliable Conner-
COVID-19 pandemic, where many artists have been Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) (Connor &
unable to perform, showcase or sell their works. Davidson, 2003) phrased as applicable during the past
The study aimed to examine the perceived impact of the month, for example, “Able to adapt to change during
COVID-19 pandemic on the resilience, art activities, and the last month.”

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2023) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.0911