Author: Brenna McCallum
To understand the evolving impact of COVID-19 on the state’s arts network, the North Carolina Arts Council sent a survey to all 2021-22 grantees. We asked many quantitative questions and were also interested in learning about the less measurable aspects of COVID-19’s effect on how organizations do their work. We received 200 survey responses, with many organizations indicating they had a unique story to share about unexpected opportunities or innovations that arose from the pandemic.
As the Arts Council evaluated the data received from the survey, we also conducted group sessions to hear first-hand testimonies and reflections from organizations. From October 2021 to January 2022, we held five such sessions and heard from nearly 40 organizations. Some themes rose to the top. North Carolina arts organizations described the following commitments:
- Supporting artists who were financially impacted by the pandemic
- Facilitating safe, innovative programming
- Engaging children who were experiencing the detrimental effects of isolation
- Delivering opportunities for healing experiences during a time when physical gatherings were impossible
The Sparks of Light series explores what the past two years have meant for the arts. The commitments just listed are a testament to the ways in which North Carolina arts organizations continue to exhibit resilience and dedication during a time of unprecedented struggle and darkness. The stories staff told when they met with us on Zoom over the past four months are important and inspiring. Sparks of Light will gather some of them and share them with you.
In March 2020, everything changed. Organizations were forced to be creative, and despite the hardships, there were benefits. Online platforms offered an opportunity to connect with audiences regardless of the distance, and arts organizations got inventive by generating virtual programming that sustained both audiences and artists. Live performances and exhibitions were presented in new, sometimes untraditional spaces, creating fresh experiences for the participants. Many organizations that were forced to change their practice report that their innovations opened up new creative possibilities that will last beyond the pandemic.
Creative use of alternative spaces
Located in Fayetteville, Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT) faced the same obstacles that a lot of presenters were up against: indoor performances in its 300-seat theater were no longer an option, and social distancing was required. Theater staff turned to their neighborhood for inspiration. A few doors down from CFRT was the Haymount Auto Repair shop. This full-service station, which had served the community since 1965, had closed its doors in 2019. CFRT saw potential at the unused site for outdoor programming, and with the support of the property owner, got to work outfitting a temporary stage. For two weeks in October 2020, the location was alive with a production of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, the story of the last concert Billie Holiday gave before her death. CFRT took precautions to keep its audience safe, selling limited pods of seats, doing away with paper items such as tickets and programs to minimize physical contact, and requiring masks. The production was a resounding success, and had a bonus outcome: the shop, which had been vacant for more than a year, was sold to a business that is converting the venue into a food-truck rodeo. What began as an effort to deliver the joy of theater during the pandemic resulted in the revitalization of a local landmark.
Virtual performance and lecture series
The Leela Foundation (Leela) combines the components of a classical Indian dance company, educational efforts, and outreach through participation in local community events and workshops. The foundation says it seeks to “explore the truth and beauty in all art forms and celebrate their unity in spirit.” Leela embraced the freedom to make programming more accessible during a time of limited in-person events, using Instagram Live as a virtual performance platform. Instagram Live allowed the Cary-based organization to conceive and execute projects on a shorter timeline than traditional venues allowed. Through an initiative called the Baithak, or “house concerts,” series, the foundation produced performances representing four of the eight Indian classical dance forms over a span of eight months. After the performances, dancers stayed on Instagram Live to interact with Leela Dance Company students and answer questions.
A tradition in Indian culture is to begin a new venture with blessings from teachers and elders. To ensure that Leela students learned about their dance lineage, in the summer of 2020 the organization had kicked off Legacy—a series of lectures by renowned Indian classical dance scholars—with a presentation led by Guru Kalyana Sundaram, one of the oldest living traditional teachers of the art form Bharata Natyam. During the pandemic, the foundation presented two more virtual lectures. Physical distance was no longer a limiting factor in connecting speakers with audiences, so Leela was able to secure guest lecturers who might not have been available otherwise. Dr. Naima Prevots, Professor Emeritus, of American University, in Washington, D.C., led the workshop Introduction to Contemporary Dance. Mandakini Trivedi, an artist in Mumbai, India, who practices the traditional dance form Mohini Attam, led the workshop Aesthetics of Indian Classical Dance. Because these presentations were virtual, participants worldwide were able to attend.
Many organizations faced a decision either to shut down their programming indefinitely or find a fast and safe way to pivot when Covid-19 struck. For those choosing to pivot, innovative and adaptive programming became imperative. The stories shared here show the ingenuity that arts organizations all over North Carolina summoned in order to keep the arts bright during the pandemic.
For more stories about how arts organizations have navigated the pandemic with strength and determination, check out the latest season of the North Carolina Arts Council's podcast, Arts Across NC, wherever you listen to podcasts.