In 2020 when COVID-19 peaked, the arts residencies field, by its very nature of mobility, was very nearly decimated. As Executive Director of Res Artis at the time, I initiated and led a three-part survey that examined the immediate, medium-term and long term impact of the pandemic on the global arts residencies landscape. The project was a partnership with University College London (UCL) and the results were startling:
- 54% of planned residencies cancelled, modified, cut short or postponed
- One in 10 or 9% of arts residency operators forced to close indefinitely
- 65% of artists have been forced to pursue non-arts work, while 12.2% are considering leaving the sector entirely
- 88% of artist respondents have had their mental health impacted by the pandemic, with 57% saying it has affected their ability to produce new works

View Media here and Podcast here.