There are lessons in our every day, especially in the times that we are currently in. We’re on the brink of evolution. An evolution of mind-sets, careers and life-styles. Various reports have highlighted the impact that COVID-19 has had on the entertainment and hospitality industries. Persons are forced into a state of panic, and many parents, teachers, and society are even more ready to proclaim just how much persons should not pursue creative careers, because they see in one-dimension … black and white. They don’t see the complexity of the situation … the relevancy of creative expression. 

While we question ourselves as creatives and we see ourselves our industries being shot (hospitality, tourism, and entertainment). It is imperative that we look at this closely, people still cling to these things they cling to creative expression and entertainment they just do it as a digital community. 

Really observing the climate of today we are seeing that persons will always have a desire for escapism. Whether it’s Netflix or music, even though it’s becoming more virtual, persons need entertainment for their sanity and release. 

We at the UCAP are imploring you to simply re-assess yourselves, experiment, adapt, try out things and see what fits. As we move into this new era we have to pay attention to the changes that need to happen. Study the trends that surround and see the media people are using to get access to creative expression. Live concerts and parties have become podcasts and playlists. The theatre has been replaced with online viewing platforms. 

Creative Energy

Creative Expression is an energy. Energy doesn’t die, it just takes a new form. While things will stabilize and many of us pray for things to go back to how they were, the truth is that they won’t and those old systems will continue to evolve. However, this isn’t something that should frighten us. We’ve seen genres shift and platforms change from vinyl to CDs to Spotify. From calligraphy to typewriters to computers. 

The measures may change but the demand always remains the same. 

So what can we as creatives do?

Shakespeare

Use this incubation period wisely…

In an article entitled Shakespeare in lockdown: did he write King Lear in plague quarantine? by the Guardian, Shakespeare’s ability to use his pandemic-induced self-isolation period to continue to strengthen his craft and hone his skills was highlighted. During his isolation, to protect himself from the Bubonic plague (more commonly known as the black plague – a pandemic that hit many countries) he wrote several plays. Also while in isolation and during this period the theatres were impacted greatly with actors and playwrights having to find other work. This led to Shakespeare turning to poetry, writing poems like Venus and Adonis. 

If it weren’t for these happenings he would possibly have never been both a poet and a playwright. However, he adapted and didn’t ignore his need to create and he became one of the greatest creatives of all time. 

Conclusion

This isolation period is really an incubation period, and we should not be fooled into thinking that this is permanent. As human beings, as creatives, we are simply forced into a cocoon. 

There’s no one right way to handle this situation. We at the UCAP, urge you to continue to question your own passions and pursuits and to observe to see how you can take your craft to the next level. It is an uncomfortable demand, but it is necessary. 

“Creative Expression is an energy. Energy doesn’t die, it just takes a new form.“

~ The Ubuntu Creative Arts Project