Effect of COVID-19 on the multicultural landscape within the artistic sectors

News Article: The Impact of COVID-19 on Workforce Diversity in the UK's Creative Industries

The creative industries, a significant economic powerhouse in the UK, have faced a challenging period due to the impact of COVID-19. A recent policy brief, jointly conducted by Creative PEC and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity, outlines the key points from a panel discussion that focused on the impact of the pandemic on workforce diversity.

Impact on Diversity

The pandemic has disproportionately affected freelancers, who make up a large portion of the creative workforce. Many of these freelancers are from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, and the economic precarity they have faced has been exacerbated during this time [3]. Job losses during COVID-19 were more severe for lower-paid workers, likely including many from marginalized communities within the creative sector [5]. This suggests that the diversity of the workforce was negatively impacted, perhaps reducing representation of lower-income and minority workers during and immediately after the pandemic.

Certain sub-sectors like IT and software (including video games) have weathered the pandemic better, but many creative roles involving in-person collaboration have suffered more, disproportionately affecting minorities and freelancers [1][3].

Lessons Learned for Future Crises

The experience of the pandemic has underscored the need for data-informed, long-term diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) strategies. Organizations need to gather detailed data on workforce composition, recruitment, and succession planning to inform targeted DE&I efforts [4].

Progress requires sustained, systemic change driven from leadership, such as senior sponsors for diversity initiatives and community-building activities that foster understanding and equity in the workplace [4]. Given their high vulnerability during economic shocks, tailored support mechanisms for freelancers and precarious workers in the creative sectors are essential [3].

The pandemic has reinforced the centralization of creative jobs and wealth in major hubs like London, underscoring the need for more equitable regional investment and opportunity distribution across the UK creative ecosystem to widen access and enhance diversity [2]. Strengthening digital and creative skills across a diverse workforce can help buffer against future crises by making workers adaptable to changing work environments [1][2].

The Road Ahead

The policy brief sets out areas for possible policy action in Skills, Jobs and Education, proposed by the researchers at CREAT. Three ways to support growth in the creative industries are outlined: investing in training and digital skills, redistributing opportunities and resources across regions, and supporting freelancers and vulnerable groups.

The panel discussion also aimed to learn from the experience to better prepare for future crises. The UK television production sector, one of Britain's leading creative export sectors, has faced pressures to consolidate during the pandemic, and the brief discusses these pressures and offers recommendations for transitioning to sustainable production across the UK Theatre Sector.

The policy briefing is based on a PEC Discussion Paper: Creative Industries Innovation in Seaside Resorts and Country Towns. Creative PEC provides independent research and policy recommendations for the UK's creative industries. The panel discussion was held on 29 October 2020.

This brief is related to various policy briefs, including those on Skills, Jobs and Education, Cross-cutting, Arts, Culture and Heritage, State of the Nations, Business Models and Access to Finance, Internationalisation, and Geography of the Creative Industries. It also touches on topics such as AI, Intellectual Property and Regulation, and Public Service Broadcasting.

In light of COVID-19's impact, the importance of data-informed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) strategies in the creative industries has become increasingly evident.
The experience from the pandemic has highlighted the importance of developing creative and digital skills to enhance adaptability among workers in the face of future crises.
The ongoing need for talent development and skill enhancement in the creative industries is a key focus for future policy action, as outlined in the policy brief.
The pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of freelancers and precarious workers in the creative sectors, thus underlining the urgency for targeted support mechanisms for these groups.
The panel discussion, jointly conducted by Creative PEC and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity, underscores the need for sustained, systemic change within these industries driven by strong leadership and community-building activities.
The policy brief proposes investing in training and digital skills as one way to promote growth in the creative industries.
The centralization of creative jobs and wealth in major hubs like London calls for more equitable regional investment and opportunity distribution, as a means to widen access and enhance diversity across the UK creative ecosystem.
Strong regional investment and opportunity distribution, as well as support for freelancers and vulnerable groups, are proposed strategies to redress the current imbalance in the creative industries.
The policy briefing on Creative Industries Innovation in Seaside Resorts and Country Towns is related to several other policy briefs, covering various topics such as AI, Intellectual Property and Regulation, and Public Service Broadcasting.
By learning from the impact of COVID-19 on the creative industries, policymakers and organizations can develop proactive strategies to build a more inclusive, equitable, and resilient sector, especially when it comes to internationalisation, business models, access to finance, and wealth-management in personal finance.