Giving the UK a cultural lifeline

Republished by ECBN from: Nesta

The pandemic has hit the creative industries hard. The sector is dominated by small organisations which are particularly vulnerable to economic turmoil and many of its workspaces – like film sets, music venues and theatres – are reliant on in-person gatherings, which are banned for the foreseeable future. Even those areas that are booming – such as video games and animation – are in danger of having their pipelines impacted (there is currently no access to the rousing orchestral music used in their soundtracks, for example). Culture is an essential part of maintaining all of our wellbeing, but it is perhaps most needed by people who are shielding.

The importance of culture during the COVID-19 pandemic is something that the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) have been monitoring on a weekly basis over lockdown. The amount we are consuming, as we continue to exist without access to family and friends, is – unsurprisingly – high.

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