Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1266179
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 JULY 2020 OPINION exclusively from the arts, peak in three brackets (low, medium and high earnings). Respondents claiming to have lost all income during the past three months, 52% registered a loss in the €3,000 to €4,000 bracket, an average of between €250 and €333 per week – reflecting the trend in the fore- cast of losses registered in the first survey. Respondents earning partial income from the arts registered losses that peak at the same lev- el of the lower brackets of those earning an income exclusively from the arts. This pattern is also similar to the ones registered in the March survey. These patterns continue to highlight that low income, even below minimum wage, is present in the category of those earning an income exclu- sively from the arts. Artists remained active Whereas the survey reveals that all or most of the income was lost, respondents were far from idle and engaged in a number of ac- tivities. Developing new skills or practicing skills emerged as the most prominent activity, followed by researching or developing new work and presenting artistic work for free online. Wage supplement – lifeline for artists The COVID-19 wage supple- ment was the aid measure re- ceiving most responses with 88 respondents applying and 81 claiming to have been successful in benefiting from the measure. Considered to be a lifeline for the sector, it is no surprise that 76% of all respondents claiming benefits from the COVID-wage supple- ment earn an income exclusively from the arts. This aspect highlights the ef- fectiveness and immediacy of the COVID-19 measure for those earning a living from the arts. A higher trend emerges amongst those who applied for special grants such as the Mal- ta Arts Fund or Teatru Malta's 'Theatre Deposit' initiative. 94% of respondents applying for these grants claim to earn an income exclusively from the arts. How- ever, only half of respondents applying for this measure were successful. Of those who did not apply for any measures or claimed to be ineligible for any measures, 41% partially earn an income from the arts, 38% are currently in other employment and 21% earn an in- come exclusively from the arts. Solidarity from family, friends and other artists The majority of respondents identified that all factors were either relevant or very relevant to them. The support network of family, friends and connecting with other artists emerged as im- portant factors for respondents to cope with the pandemic. Soli- darity from family and friends fol- lowed by aid measures announced by government and connecting with the Maltese artistic commu- nity were the top three identified as 'very relevant' to respondents. The response of public agencies and public cultural organisations to support artists, followed by solidarity from audiences, clients or customers were identified the most, albeit in low counts, as 'very irrelevant'. Employment at risk 6% of respondents agree or strongly agree that specific aid measures are required to support artists in the recovery period. 58% of respondents believe that their employment in the arts is at risk. Of all respondents earning an in- come from the arts, 52% believe that their employment is at risk. The majority of respondents be- lieve that government does not understand the challenges of artists. They also believe that the current guidelines are restricting them from earning an income from the arts. In the next three months, 63% of respondents will be unable to return to the same level of artistic activity before the pandemic. On the other hand, more than 60% feel prepared to operate in the 'new normal'. Concern for future work increases Whereas the March and June surveys correlate similar respons- es to the majority of concerns, this survey reveals that future work is of more concern to respondents than those in the earlier survey. 67% of respondents claiming to earn an income exclusively from the arts are very concerned about future work. Generating income, creating new work and receiving pay- ments are the other very concern- ing factors currently impacting all respondents. Artists remained active during this period by developing new skills, presenting artistic work online for free and researching or developing new work Toni Attard is founder and director of Culture Venture