Category: issues

Before the coronavirus crisis, the drive-through had been fast losing status, often deployed as a symbol of obesity and the worst of car-dependent urban design. In many cities, it had been subject to outright bans. The drive-in, meanwhile, is nearly extinct, with just a few still operating in Southern California. But during the pandemic, drive-throughs have become a weird sort of societal glue. And the drive-in has been reconsidered. – Los Angeles Times

Among the key elements of the proposal outlined by President Macron are a full-year extension of unemployment insurance for gig workers in the performing arts (known as “intermittents du spectacle“), allowing authors to receive the monthly support payments available to small business owners and the self-employed, and indemnification and loan guarantees for cancelled film productions and small festivals. – The Local (France)

The problem is not audience participation. It may drop, but, as my analysis to follow shows, even if it drops 20, 30, or even 40 percent, that is not the drop we should worry about. What will matter more than anything else in consideration is that, without a vaccine, social distancing measures in large-scale venues must continue for months, potentially years. – The Middle Class Artist

A new subscription plan that’s part virtual, part in-theatre? Fierce scenario planning that projects out the next two years… – Philadelphia Inquirer

The Ravinia and Grant Park cancellations bring this point home in one stunning blow, an entire musical season quashed before it started. We grieve these losses, knowing that they’re slight compared to the loss of human life. But they’re still essential to enduring it. – Chicago Tribune

“The claims filed by arts groups, from movie theaters to concert halls, have become a particularly intense battleground, in part because the virus ended a primary source of revenue — ticket sales — and in part because so many were financially vulnerable before the crisis hit. In response, insurance companies have issued a torrent of denials, prompting lawsuits across the country and legislative efforts on the state and federal levels to force insurers to make payments.” – The New York Times

Until recently, BPT had enjoyed a good reputation, sometimes called the David to Ticketmaster’s Goliath. One unpaid client, the Taste of Philadelphia Food Tour, had been doing business with the company for 10 years, but is now waiting on $2,782 in bounced checks from events as far back as December 2019 (the checks weren’t deposited until March 16), plus $207 for March events canceled by coronavirus lockdowns. – Seattle Times

During the COVID-19 shutdown, live-streamed concerts have grown from a novelty born of necessity into a fixture of cultural life. D-Nice’s dance parties (known to include a presidential candidate or two), Instagram Live’s R&B/hip-hop battles and Fortnite and Minecraft’s virtual festivals have remade live music. Global Citizen’s “One World: Together at Home” event was a veritable live-streamed Live-Aid. Likewise, the Weitz family’s Zooms have become a notable hub for big-dollar fundraising and pop-star appearances. – Los Angeles Times

Things are far from perfect north of the border, but overall Canadian artists and organizations say they feel relatively well taken care of, especially when they look south. Kate Brown reports. – Artnet

Carriageworks, Australia’s largest arts center devoted to contemporary work, has entered voluntary administration (as it’s called there). A statement from a spokesperson said, “The sudden cancellation or postponement of six months of activities due to restrictions on public gatherings has resulted in an irreparable loss of income.” – The Guardian