'A plague upon your howling': art and culture in the viral emergency

Banks, M. and O'Connor, J. (2021) 'A plague upon your howling': art and culture in the viral emergency. Cultural Trends, 30(1), pp. 3-18. (doi: 10.1080/09548963.2020.1827931)

Abstract

In this introduction, we outline the context for the international emergence of cultural policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our article first offers a general account of how arts and culture have been affected by the pandemic, before looking at some of the state interventions (bailouts’) to support the professional sector, and the present and future conditions they might be seeking to preserve or occasion. We then examine the UK as a particular case study. In rejecting a politics of “bailout” and “return”, and in synchrony with others seeking to situate culture in a re-vitalised political economy, we argue that professional arts and culture needs to move forward with a “new deal” in hand; one that can enhance culture’s potential and multipart value, as well as help the sector progressively engage with the many social, economic and environmental challenges ahead and beyond C-19.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Art and culture, green new deal, cultural policy, Covid-19, cultural work.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Banks, Professor Mark
• Authors: Banks, M., and O'Connor, J.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Theatre Film and TV Studies
• Journal Name: Cultural Trends
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 0954-8963
• ISSN (Online): 1469-3690
• Published Online: 19 October 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Cultural Trends 30(1): 3-18
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy