The Covid-19 pandemic has been a shock to all areas of modern life. Our lives have changed in ways we only saw in the likes of Hollywood Blockbuster movies such as Contagion. Something as simple as standing behind someone now comes with a set of rules to follow. Getting a tea for a co-worker is now frowned upon. And God forbid you to forget your mask…again.
This so-called 'new normal' is now, or at least for the short term, is our new way of life. This 'new normal' has been received and experienced differently by all walks of life. For some this experience has brought light to somewhat covered/hidden anxieties, for some the months of Lockdown was a type of holiday away from the grind of the 9 to 5 where they could actually see their home for more than 4 hours in the evening. How long did it take for the novelty to wear off? This global event, however, shook entire industries and today we see companies going into administration and, at the time of writing, rising fears yet again of a full nationwide Lockdown for winter. One industry that has been shaken to the core but has also handed a lifeline of sorts is the creative industry. The industry can easily be broken into two basic areas. The people who work in Creative Studios with like-minded co-workers who clock in and out to an office go home. Then there are Freelancers. Those who people often strive to be like and who are looked upon with rose-tinted glasses. Being able to work from home all day, be with the cat 24/7 and take on the projects THEY want and CHARGE what they want. However, which one is fairing better in the mists of Covid-19? How has the pandemic reshaped the creative industry and its practitioners?
Designers, whether Freelance or working as part of a Creative Studio, had a choice to make. The first choice was to relax and enjoy their time at home the best they can. Watching series after series on Netflix in a day and rearranging the furniture twice a week in-between collecting a plethora of Amazon online orders. Or, they could use the time and their skills to educate, inspire others and learn themselves to develop new skills. Whilst seeing email upon email of work being paused or cancelled, for obvious reasons, creatives had to be savvy and use their social media platforms, not matter their following, to gain work to replace that which they lost. It is at times like this that new ways of thinking and working can open up opportunities that would have never appeared otherwise and can help make this 'new normal' more bearable. For example, creatives worked to create carousel-style graphics on social media in their personal style, or even trying out a new one, to help to share the government's messages of social distancing and the pandemic numbers as they came out. Instead of feeding the fears and the stresses that were evident in the publications of the nation, creatives fought against it with humour and creativity. Many designers worked to develop their craft and ventured into new areas of art and design. With the new restrictions in place and the virus looming overhead and in the back of our minds, we saw witness to online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Etsy become saturated with handmade facemasks featuring a plethora of designs and styles to suit various tastes. This was a great solution to the money worries of many freelancers in the industry who had a sewing machine and some fabric to hand, possibly from a hobby they never kept up years ago. Through this pandemic, I have seen three new ways that creatives, no matter their discipline, have adopted that inspired me.
3 ways of making during Covid-19 that inspire me:
Learning a new skill/software/hard skill or soft skill
Making to build positivity/awareness/inform/educate
Creativity with social distancing in mind, using technology, VR, focusing on digital experiences
I find it inspiring that creatives have not simply thrown the towel in and decided to wait for this to be over. Creatives used their skills for the positive and, I believe, that all of their efforts made a big difference to the communication efforts of the Government, the NHS and more. From a graphic designers point of view, I think a new appreciation has been discovered for graphic design. Businesses around the nation were suddenly filled with floor tape, vinyl floor dots, various sized signate from A4 to super graphic size and even graphics on their social media channels. The general population is now lead by graphics that they encounter on their visit to the supermarket or even the humble corner shop. They check what the signs say, they wait at the floor tape and they check online, especially social media, to see what has changed and what they need to know before they go. New businesses have even started up due to the demand for floor graphics and signage due to the pandemic. Businesses such as Good Measures is a perfect example of designers promoting positivity, new ways of working and making in the context of Covid-19 and a great example of acting commercially, with an entrepreneurial spirit and making the best of a bad situation.
More can be found about Good Measures here: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/good-measures-covid-signage/
I can't wait to see what the creative industry will do next as the pandemic evolves.
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