Survey for Artists: COVID-19
By Margaret A. Keough
In late March 2020, M-AAA launched the COVID-19 Artist Impact Survey to determine the impacts on the livelihoods of artists in the Mid-America Arts Alliance Region (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas) in the three weeks immediately following the global pandemic. Nearly 2000 artists from across the Mid-America region completed the survey.
The most significant initial impact is financial.
- 79.0% of artists have had shows or gigs canceled. In the first three weeks, 60.6% have lost 1 to 5 shows or gigs.
- 81.5% of artists have lost wages/earnings. In the first three weeks, 54.3% of artists have lost between $501 and $5,000.
- 45.0% of artists have either partially or totally lost income from sources other than their art practices
The impacts extend beyond the financial.
- 60.7% of artists have seen a decrease in their creative output.
- 66.4% of artists indicate that social distancing has had an impact on their livelihood as an artist.
- 42.8% of artists indicate that mental health has had an impact on their livelihood as an artist.
Artists surveyed have limited personal emergency financial resources.
- 48.6% have $1,000 or less in emergency savings.
- 60.0% have emergency savings that will sustain them for one month or less.
- 84.6% have emergency savings that will sustain them for three months or less.
Artists’ situations will likely continue to worsen.
- One in five artists (21.6%) indicates they do not need support at this time.
- Confidence in ability to meet financial obligations decreases with duration.
- 54.6% of artists agree or strongly agree they will be able to meet their financial obligations in April 2020
- 20.8% of artists agree or strongly agree that they will be able to meet their financial obligations in August 2020.
- Only 43.4% of artists have applied for or plan to apply for emergency relief funding, but 58.7% indicate they need salary/wage support
