The impacts of COVID-19 on the creative industries have been widely covered, but the under representation of First Nations and creatives of colour prevails.
To this end, Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) has been on the forefront to survey culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) practitioners. The recent Lost Work 2.0 Report builds upon their 2020 survey, and was conducted between 29 March – 31 May 2021 to uncover the impacts of COVID-19 on income and further marginalisation faced by CaLD and First Nations creatives.
The report opened with an urgent call for the recognition of the extra pressure that CaLD and First Nations creatives are going through.
It stated: ‘For culturally diverse and First Nations artists and creative workers, experiences of lost work and income are further intensified by rising racism, both institutional and interpersonal. The work of these artists and creative workers urgently needs to be supported if the Australian creative sector is to genuinely reflect the experiences of all Australians as they attempt to recover from the pandemic.’
Read: COVID one year on: Impacts on creatives of colour
Key findings and analysis of Lost Work 2.0 Report
Out of 191 responses, around 80% of respondents (including 85% of First Nations respondents) said they have lost, or expected to lose, income as a result of COVID.
The situation is even more dire for women of colour, who are more than 10% more likely to have lost income during the pandemic. 16.5% of the women indicated they have lost more than half of their usual income.
One respondent said: ‘Both of my industries have been completely cut with COVID … [and] within the museum world, again all contract and casual staff have been let go in favour of permanent, usually non-CaLD, and usually male workers.’
While many may think the worst of the pandemic is over, the most recent NAVA Pulse Survey on Omicron revealed 49% of operations and staff have been impacted by Omicron infections or close contact furloughs, raising another warning bell on the lingering impacts of COVID.
Read: Arts recruitment for sector recovery
Further, Lost Work 2.0 found financial insecurity to be rife among diverse creatives, with around half of the respondents indicating they had difficulty paying rent, mortgage, bills and medical care.
Adding to the financial pressure is ongoing and worsening experiences of racism, where a staggering 72.3% believe racism has gotten worse during the COVID-19 context. An earlier report in 2020 by DARTS, alongside The Asian Australian Alliance and Democracy in Colour, showed that a vast majority of COVID-related racism came from strangers in the public domain.
‘There is a greater sense of being other,’ said another respondent, pointing to the dark consequences of the racialisation of COVID-19. Some also reported hyper-surveillance, and the policing of their behaviour.
It is important to note that racism is a longstanding and global issue, which was exacerbated by the pandemic and further threatened the physical and mental health of CaLD communities. Movements such as Stop Asian Hate spotlighted both pre- and post pandemic racism, and many in the creative arts sector joined the advocacy.
Another significant social political movement was Black Lives Matter (BLM), which placed systematic racism in stark daylight globally, led by waves of advocacy aiming to increase the visibility of these issues.
Grants and government financial assistance were most often mentioned by respondents, as being ‘critical assistance’ during this time. When JobKeeper and JobSeeker was available, it was the main source of respite for many respondents, with 44% able to access that financial support.
Due to lockdown, lack of opportunities (gigs and work) leads back to lack of income, lack of income/funding means it is impossible to finish upcoming projects which are meant to create more opportunities and work for the future. You need money to make money basically.
Lost Work 2.0 report participant
Also crucial to the financial and mental wellbeing of respondents is the need for ongoing, paid and secure work, mentoring opportunities, advocacy, and relationship building.
DARTS’ 2019 report, Shifting the Balance, showed that while CaLD Australians are heavily involved in the creative industries, rarely are they in leadership positions or positions that offer financial stability and security. Three years later, this continues to be the case, if not more stricken with inequality and racial obstacles, the report finds.
In conclusion, DARTS Executive Director Lena Nahlous is making an urgent call on Australian governments to better support our diverse creatives.
‘We call on the Federal and state governments, organisations and philanthropy to provide support so the creative sector can withstand and adapt to the pandemic’s unpredictable ripple effects,’ said Nahlous.
Recommendations for a more equitable creative sector
35% of the respondents identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. DARTS consulted with BlakDance and Koorie Heritage Trust on recommendations addressing the needs of First Nations artists and creative workers.
‘For First Nations artists, support needs to be increased and targeted towards small-medium First Nations-led businesses who are often doing the heavy lifting in ensuring artists are employed,’ said BlakDance and Diversity Arts Australia Board Member, Professor Nareen Young.
‘Further to this, First Nations artists and creative workers need to be platformed and engaged, and procurement policies need to be put in place to ensure the sector can facilitate ethical Indigenous creative control over our art and storytelling. The arts must embed anti-racism into its policies and practices.’
The report also mentioned that the sector requires procurement policies and practices around seeking work from First Nations artists and creative workers, and not just culturally specific work. Establishing a national standard would be necessary.
Eight recommendations address the broad scope of CaLD creatives (including POC, migrant, and ethnic communities). They include:
- An industry led anti-racism strategy, such as by the Australia Council for the Arts and Screen Australia
- Equity-tested COVID-19 Support Packages for marginalised communities where at least 30% of relief and funding is earmarked for CaLD artists
- Introduce targeted programs to strengthen underrepresented CaLD employment in the creative sector, support micro businesses and strengthen existing businesses to retain CaLD talent (including internships and mentoring opportunities)
- Develop dedicated, long term (3–5 years) funding for CaLD artists
- Address emotional wellbeing and mental health of CaLD communities through culturally appropriate and culturally safe programs
- Support creative sector organisations to undertake educational work in diversity, equity and inclusion, with a priority to this work being led by CaLD / POC and First Nations organisations (including funding for cultural and racial equity capacity-building programs and mandatory involvement for organisations / companies receiving Federal and State funding)
- Intersectional strategies which specifically targeted at supporting First Nations women, CaLD women and women of colour
- Commit to national policies in the arts, media, screen, education and creative sector, and minimum diversity standards that promote inclusive representation of First Nations and CaLD Australians in the creative sector
View the full Lost Work 2.0 Report Executive Summary here; full report to be released later in March.
