The other day while seeking collage materials, I picked up a magazine. There was an article about Beethoven’s 250th birthday this year. It seemed like every performing arts venue was doing something grand to commemorate the occasion. Something seemed off, so I checked the date of the magazine; January 2020.

We’re now living in an era with a clearly defined catastrophic event that has a before and an after.

How will all of this manifest in the art world? A glimpse of what film sets will look like can be seen in a “making of” YouTube documentary about Cardi B’s Wet Ass Pussy (2020) video. For a 5-minute video, the budget for COVID testing was about $100K. A masked crew that is social distancing can look a bit sinister.

Socially distanced live concert in Newcastle, England. Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Live events may take the biggest hit. Theaters are expected to be operating at 25% capacity. Many historic theaters in Europe have removed most of their seats. Multiple front rows are being removed to enlarge orchestra pits that will hold a fraction of the musicians that played in them less than a year ago. For outdoor concerts, the new normal appears to be carefully spaced metal playpen structures. If you were a rave fan, it might be time to dig out the giant pacifier.

They’re still in the early stages of reconfiguring visual art venues. Popular shows that have opened have strict time limits and capacity numbers. As of this writing, art fairs are contemplating reopening. Sales of fine art took a 36% drop during the lockdown.

When the lockdown started, a number of people on social media offered quips about how they had waited their whole life for this. Not having to answer the door, or go out in public, or make excuses for missing whatever was many people’s idea of heaven. There is no telling how (or if) this will end. On the plus side, many companies have put years of great performances online for free (I have been writing about these for the weekly Artillery newsletter). I recently got one of my own Bunker Vision wishes when I was able to see an entire film festival as a streaming event. But those same circumstances could well kill off indie film projects that lack the budget for COVID testing, and whatever new expenses creep into the mix. Another reminder to always be careful what you wish for.