A resource about coronavirus / covid-19 in relation to:
artists and art education / exhibitions / fairs / galleries / schools /  societies

CONTENTS
  • Updates
  • Risk Management
  • Financial Assistant (WIP - new section)
  • Practical Measures & Solutions
  • Innovations / Good Ideas

SUB PAGE
This page aims to highlight
  • issues which many people in the art world will need to deal with during the Covid-19 Pandemic - over the next few months
  • what might be potential solutions to the challenges being faced.
  • Plus updates on the current situation for planning purposes

Nobody is an expert and all information and advice on here is given freely but without any liability.

Please let me know if you have any good ideas or ways of tackling the current situation which work for you.
It's the most dangerous pandemic in our lifetime.
Epidemiologist Larry Brilliant - the doctor who helped eradicate smallpox

UPDATES and future topics

TIMELINE OF UPDATES by me (on Making A Mark and Botanical Art and Artists)
RESOURCES by others
UPDATES by others

RISK MANAGEMENT for Artists and Art Organisations

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”
Coronavirus & Art #1: Risk Management for Artists & Art Events
  • my first blog post on this topic which looked at
  • what are the practical implications 
  • what are the potential risks
  • what mitigating action can be taken.
Risk Management for Artists - a section on this website which
  • explains Risk Assessment and Risk Management and
  • provides a link to a FREE Guide which walks you through the systematic process

PRACTICAL MEASURES & SOLUTIONS

Useful Resource Guides for Artists

UK
USA
OTHER ART BUSINESS WEBSITES
ART NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALS

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
FOR SELF-EMPLOYED AND SMALL BUSINESSES
​

UK: Financial Assistance
​

GOV.UK OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS & GUIDANCE PUBLICATIONS
This guidance also provides details of support available to businesses including:
​
  • - statutory sick pay relief package for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
  • - a 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England
  • - small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
  • - grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
  • - the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to support long-term viable businesses who may need to respond to cash-flow pressures by seeking additional finance
  • - the HMRC Time To Pay Scheme to help with tax
ARTICLES IN NEWSPAPERS

INNOVATIONS & TRIED AND TESTED GOOD IDEAS

To be updated as and when I spot them or you tell me about them!
Use the form at the bottom to tell me about good ideas which work - and how/why they work

MAINTAINING AN ART CAREER
​
IDEAS FOR ART FAIR PEOPLE

If trying to come up with an alternative for art fairs
  • create a group of compatible artists / crafts people who can create a virtual art fair
  • create a virtual art fair online
  • set up your stand and take a video of it
  • create videos about individual pieces so people can see them in a domestic context and can appreciate what they look like in 3D

If still booked for art fairs
  • book accomodation using an agency and accommodation provider which indicates/allows late/no penalty cancellation eg. booking com offers some. (That way you won't lose on the cost of the accommodation if the event is cancelled late)
IDEAS FOR ART SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBITIONS

If trying to postpone and reschedule
If trying to mitigate fewer people travelling to see the exhibition (an absolute certainty)
  • create a good-looking virtual art exhibition online - with decent sized images for review by potential purchasers
  • ensure you're aware of and comply with all relevant legislation relating to
  • promote the art in the exhibition via social media - tell stories about the artwork or the artist (as you might do at a PV)
  • make videos of the art with the commentary or subtitles by the artist telling the story of the piece - and promote via social media
ADVERT

CANCELLATION AND/OR POSTPONEMENT
OF
ART EXHIBITIONS & ART FAIRS

Updates on how Covid-19 is turning the art fair calendar upside down as (most) organisers err on the side of caution
In the context of the cuurrent Viral Storm, the risks for artists and art galleries with stands at Art Fairs is that:
  • the event may be cancelled at the last minute
  • it may not be postponed to a later date at the same or a different venue
  • if the art fair goes ahead there will be poor attendance by the public
  • your art business insurance may not cover the cost of cancellation of events / accommodation etc
  • your sales of product / business income will be decimated in 2020
LIST OF CANCELLED AND POSTPONED ART FAIRS
Below I've listed various art fairs where there have been announcements about
  • either CANCELLATION
  • or that it has been POSTPONED to a later date
I've also indicated in italics those where I think the organisers have not yet grasped how long this will go on for and hence why the postponed date is likely to be rescheduled again.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Your contract for costs of travel and/or accommodation provider have nothing to do with your contract with (most) fair providers and they will NOT cover any losses incurred.
  • You can get insurance to cover the cost of cancellation of events
  • check the terms and conditions of your booking. If you do not get reimbused for a cancelled event and you paid by credit card then you may be able to get a refund that way. (Does not apply to postponed art fairs.)
  • it is possible to book accommodation at the last minute through agencies which provide late availability accommodation - if you're prepared to take the risk that nothing is available
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR ARTISTS AT ART FAIRS
  • Create a small groups of artists and get ready to promote your own virtual art fair online.  (see Innovations and Tried and Trusted Ideas ABOVE)

Art Fairs in the USA

  • Frieze New York CANCELLED - nothing on their website though
  • The Affordable Art Fair - New York Spring - (26 - 29 March 2020) POSTPONED until later in the year
  • Dallas Art Fair in Texas (April 16-19) POSTPONED until October 1–4.
  • The Other Art Fair - Los Angeles, at Barker Hanger, 16 - 19 April POSTPONED
  • The Other Art Fair - Brooklyn, at Expo Center, 30 April - 3 May POSTPONED
  • The Other Art Fair - Dallas, at Dallas Market Hall, 7 - 10 May POSTPONED
  • The Other Art Fair - Chicago, at Skylight at the Chicago Board of Trade Building, 27 - 30 May POSTPONED

NOT YET POSTPONED OR CANCELLED but in my opinion may well have to
  • Tefaf New York Spring (8-11 May) 
"We are looking at all options at this point in relation to the New York fair and will evaluate what is the best next step."

Art Fairs in the UK

Major Art Fairs and ones based in London
NOT YET POSTPONED OR CANCELLED but in my opinion may well have to
Local Art Fairs around the UK

Art Fairs in Australasia

Australia - New South Wales
  • The Other Art Fair - Sydney, at The Cutaway, 19 - 22 March  POSTPONED

Australia - Victoria
  • The Other Art Fair - Melbourne, at The Facility, 21 - 24 May POSTPONED

Art Fairs in Europe

  • Art Brussels - (originally 23-26 April) now POSTPONED until 25 to 28 June
  • Affordable Art Fair Brussel’s 12th edition - (originally 20 - 22 March 2020) POSTPONED until 11 – 13 September 2020 (Vernissage, 10 September) at Tour & Taxis
  • Art Cologne – POSTPONED from April 23–26 to November 19–26.
  • Art Paris – POSTPONED from April 2–5 to May 28–31. (very optimistic - likely to be moved again)
  • Artmonte-carlo - CANCELLED UNTIL 2021
  • Drawing Now Art Fair, Paris – POSTPONED from March 26–29 to May 29–June 1. (They're being optimistic. My guess is this will be rescheduled again - depending on when the virus peaks)
  • Miart, Milan – POSTPONED from April 17–19 to September 10–13.
  • Lille Art Up! – POSTPONED from March 5–8 to June 25–28.

NOT YET POSTPONED OR CANCELLED but everybody is wondering why not!
  • Art Basel in Basel (scheduled for 18-21 June)

Art Fairs in Asia

  • The Affordable Art Fair - in Hong Kong - postponed until to 20 - 23 August 2020, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
  • Art Dubai 2020 - (scheduled for 25 – 28th March 2020) postponed indefinitely
  • Art Basel Hong Kong – (scheduled for March 19–21) - CANCELLED offering online viewing rooms
  • Art Central Hong Kong – (scheduled for March 18–22) - CANCELLED

Art Exhibitions

ART SOCETIES

CORONAVIRUS & ART: Do you have an update or a query?

USE THIS FORM TO TELL ME about:
  • closures of important art galleries / museums
  • closures / postponement of important exhibitions
  • queries - for which you can find no helpful info online (and you have already looked)

    COVID-19: UPDATES & QUERIES