Stages a no-go, artists and art schools struggle to survive

CHENNAI: Classical artists and cultural institutions in the city, who solely depend on audience, donations through their performances and teaching classes for income, have been deeply impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown. As all events in halls and theatres remain canceled and group classes stopped, they are now finding new ways to reconnect with their audience and students.
“I had three performances lined up in April and May, and they were cancelled due to the lockdown,” said Ganesh Swamy, a Carnatic vocalist.Ganesh had left his job as a banker two years ago to pursue his passion in music. “But the past three months were the hardest, even to meet daily expenses. I started to borrow from my relatives to make ends meet,” he said.
Ganesh has also started streaming his videos online. “Though it appeals to a wider audience, the economic issues remain. I keep going since it’s my passion,” he said.
Apart from live-streaming, several cultural institutions are also re-streaming old performances to stay in touch with the audience.
“We earn our remuneration solely based on our performances in sabhas. For the past two months, there has been none. If this continues longer, we might have a hard time maintaining the academy,” said Vempati Venkatachalapathy, secretary, Kuchipudi Art Academy, a 56-year-old institution in the city.
A few artists have started taking classes over Skype, Zoom and other digital platforms just to motivate students and ensure they do not lose touch with the art form.
“It is a little difficult compared to the regular classes because it is hard to focus on the nuances, make corrections and instill discipline among kids this way,” said Sugathan Mohandass, classical dancer and secretary of Sri Sumukhi Rajasekharan Memorial Foundation, Mylapore.
Sanhita Basu Ghose, director, Konarak Odissi Dance Academy, said she often holds talks with her students to boost their morale. “Since there are no performances happening now, some feel dejected. They wonder why they should continue learning or acquiring knowledge when there is no platform for them to grow.” “But this is also a time which is bringing out the creativity in all of us. That’s a positive outcome.”
Artists raise concerns that the Margazhi season, which is only a few months away, will also be hit due to the uncertainty.
“It might take at least a year for things to get to normal,” said Vempati. “But before that, we need to find ways to reach out to the hundreds of musicians and accompanying artists whose livelihood solely depended on this. They are all struggling,” he said.
“This is a big challenge for all of us and we only hope to come out stronger and better than before,” said Sanhita.