Covid-19: When life is hard - you learn to adapt

Art in Lockdown and Beyond: 6 Months On

Yesterday was the six month anniversary of the UK being put into lockdown - in order to protect people and reduce the expected number of deaths from Covid-19.

Yesterday was also when 

• Boris announced more restrictions on what we can do
• it was a very sunny day at Kew Gardens - and I spent a very happy day on my very first visit of the year to the gardens in decent weather.

I spotted this sign.  It struck me as absolutely spot on to where we are now 

Think about how you can learn to adapt to a new normal.

When Life is hard... you learn to adapt

The Coronavirus Posts

Today I thought I'd take a quick look at the number of blog posts that I've written in the last six months which relate to Coronavirus and Covid-19 in some way or other.

I've just been updating my schedule on my Coronavirus / COVID-19 and Art page on my Art Business Info for Artists website - and it is in fact a LOT of posts. (listed below)

TIMELINE OF UPDATES by me 

(on Making A Mark, Botanical Art and Artists and Art Business Info for Artists)

FEBRUARY 2020: 

• Coronavirus, Courses and Cancellations (27 February 2020) - written before the Pandemic was declared

MARCH 2020: 

• Coronavirus & Art #1: Risk Management for Artists & Art Events (6 March 2020)

• Coronavirus & Art #2: Thoughts and recommendations on the implications of a pandemic (12 March 2020). Note I'm particularly proud of this one - because:
• my predictions were pretty much spot on
• lots of people wrote and thanked me for the pep talk!

• Covid-19 and Art #3: The timeline for cancellations and postponements?

• Coronavirus and Art #4: Art Galleries, Museums and Auction Houses close in London

• ​Mall Galleries to close until further notice

• COVID-19 and Art #6: Financial support for self-employed artists and freelancers

• A List of UK based Online Art Suppliers

APRIL 2020: 

• COVID-19 & Art #7: Selling art online (Mall Galleries)

• ​COVID-19 & ART #9: NEW initiative - The Arts Society Connected
• Covid-19 #10: Painting Portraits of NHS Heroes - has gone worldwide

MAY 2020: ​

• ​The Artist Support Pledge ​

• Covid-19 #12: Meet the Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal post lockdown - the man tasked with reviving the UK's cultural sector post lockdown.

• Covid-19 #13: Cancellations and Refunds 

JUNE 2020: 

• It's time to talk recession - and what next!

• Art Galleries and Museums to reopen - with covid secure measures

JULY 2020: 

• New VIRTUAL Exhibition of Portraits for NHS Heroes

• #Museums Unlocked and lockdown art

• ​Which London art galleries and museums reopen next week?

AUGUST 2020 

• Job losses at major art galleries 

• Covid Guidelines for Artists meeting in Groups

• Oliver Dowden - Secretary of State for Culture and competing priorities and perspectives

SEPTEMBER 2020: 

• Hardship lies ahead #1: Checklist for Artists
• "Hold Still" digital exhibition on NPG website

RESOURCES by others

• UK Covid-19 Freelance Artist Resources List – UK-focussed collection of links to resources to help freelance creatives and artists during the current COVID-19 pandemic

• Coronavirus Covid-19: Information and guidance for artists and arts organisers | Artists Network (a-n) UK

• Covid 19 Resource Directory | Creative Scotland

• Artquest and covid-19 / coronavirus | Artquest  

There are more resources for those in the USA and elsewhere on my my Coronavirus / COVID-19 and Art page

Six months on: "When life is hard - you learn to adapt"

We've come a very long way in six months. 

• It's been very scary at times. 
• We're now well and truly into a recession. 
• The Pandemic has NOT gone away - and it won't be going away anytime soon.
• We are now living in "a new normal"
• "Needs must" has meant that some people have had to reinvent completely what they do and how they do it.  
• I've noted that those that have made major changes are typically 
• those I think of as "the grafters" and 
• "those who always succeed at what they do". 
• If you are one of those give yourself a pat on the back - you've earned it!

If you're not coping - and have not adapted as yet - OR have stopped coping, I recommend you have a read of this - it's very helpful.

• Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful - Here’s how to pull yourself out of despair and live your life - by Tara Haelle

The next six months

As, yet again, we face the prospect of rising numbers of infections and hospital cases/deaths, It's maybe a good time to pause and look back.

However don't just focus on another six months of tightened constraints on what we could do before the Pandemic - and the prospect of even more constraints to come.  

Think about the fact that MOST of us got through the first six months - because of what MOST of us gave up in terms of  "doing our bit".

I like to be realistic, and - for what it's worth - I think we've still got a VERY LONG way to go:

• I think constraints and necessary changes in practice will last for at least two years from start to finish - unless they find an effective vaccine which can be rolled out fast
• In part this is because the Spanish Flu lasted from February 1918 until April 2020 - and it had FOUR PEAKS!  By far the worst was the second peak.
• Plus an ONS study suggests many more people are now expecting this to last more than a year (READ Read Diary of a nation: life in lockdown)

from Diary of a nation: life in lockdown

Then think about how we can all best adapt to "the new normal" - because those that do are doing much better than those who just yearn for what they've lost. 

Some people have used the pandemic to change their lives (I've lost two stone!)

It really helps with the process of working out how to adapt and survive this whole pandemic.

Be KIND to others - and yourself.
Be HOPEFUL - and get what you have to offer noticed!

P. S If you are eligible for a flu vaccine make sure you go and get one.  I gather it helps with protection.