Museums, galleries, the arts community, and careers in art have been historically inaccessible places for a variety of reasons. For example, people with physical disabilities may not find galleries to be inclusive spaces, whether that be due to the architecture of a building, blindness not allowing them to see specific works, or even deafness not allowing for accessible tours. Large galleries, like the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto, had been working pre-pandemic to make their spaces and works more accessible to people with diverse needs, including multisensory events for people with various disabilities, free access for support workers, reduced restrictions on items allowed in galleries if they are used for someone’s disability, and large print copies of descriptions for those who are visually impaired. (1)
However, the removal of the physical space and the shift to the digital has allowed for an increase in accessibility to art. For people with physical disabilities, the transition to online education and work has mainly been helpful, as it removes the main barrier of struggling to access a physical space. (2) For people with sensory issues or other issues such as anxiety, the ability to access art from home allows more control over their experience, as galleries can be busy, bright, and overwhelming places. For these groups, the end of the pandemic and a return to “normal” is a return to limited accessibility. As spaces of education, galleries and museums can and should note how universities are dealing with these issues of return to make sure that people with disabilities can continue accessing the same helpful online programming as they were during the pandemic. COVID has proven that this kind of online and hybrid programming is possible and beneficial to people who struggle to access art in physical gallery space.
Another reason people struggle to access physical gallery spaces is socioeconomics. Pre-pandemic access to local galleries was contingent on having the ability to afford an admission ticket. Access to galleries beyond physical proximity was contingent on affording to travel there and pay to view the art. Pre-pandemic, this outdated standard was changing. Again looking to the AGO, they had implemented free access to the gallery on Wednesday nights, free or reduced-fee access to community organizations serving marginalized communities, and free admission consistently now for anyone below the age of 25. (3) The belief that art is a habit built from a young age drove this decision. The idea is that appreciation for the arts from youth would spur lifetime art appreciators, who would later support the gallery and buy memberships when they are more financially stable adults.
That being said, the pandemic has further opened art up to be a more socioeconomically accessible space. The ability to look at global art is essential for understanding diverse perspectives and something that local galleries cannot always offer, both in-person and online. Representation of art from many cultures and interest groups in online galleries or tour settings helps gain an increased understanding and appreciation of arts and culture as a whole. Additionally, these online tours or exhibits tend to be a bit cheaper, if not free, to access. The AGO general admission is usually $25, but an online guided tour can cost as little as $17. (4) Not only is it more affordable, but the online tours provide access to a professional art educator speaking in a small, online group setting, with the ability to ask questions and gain more detailed information than would be available for the same price in person. With 80% of people saying they would continue to consume the arts online post-COVID, it is a real viability for galleries. (5)
However, historically the art world has been one rooted in elitism. Lack of accessibility has typically created and constituted its value. The less accessible a piece was, the more it was coveted and assigned a monetary value. In a capitalistic society where the value of art is tied so closely to its financial worth, accessibility may decrease this unfair and unfortunate standard and help make the art world a place where singularity and economic value are not the sole determinants for the societal value for a piece. This would allow more creative freedom for artists, and hopefully, more equitable careers for all artists, where rarity and hierarchy of work do not determine the worth of their career. In 2011, Linda Essig, Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at Cal State LA, said:
To expand the portfolio of American art, we need more artists working to create new, and hopefully innovative, art. [...] I am left wondering if there will be the substantive changes needed to support the creation of new innovative work, by artists who, like scientists, are actually paid to experiment. (6)
It’s been 10 years since this statement, and unfortunately, not much has changed policy-wise. COVID-19 has shown that the arts are integral to society, with just under 60% of people consuming the same amount of art online as they were pre-pandemic. (7) The demand for arts education and access persists despite the economic struggle.
COVID has also been a struggle for artists economically. For fine artists, the unemployment rate between 2019 and 2020 has jumped just over 7%. (8) However, according to a recent report:
…"isolation has historically proved fruitful, and artists are producing new work all the time," and the artistic projects which have burgeoned across the world since the beginning of the pandemic corroborate this statement. As a matter of fact, some of the most significant art movements (e.g., expressionism and modernism) emerged as a response to political and economic uncertainty... (9)
COVID has proven that it is economically feasible to provide economic stimulus in Ontario. Artists were able to collect CERB or other grants to continue to work on their practice through the pandemic. In providing a space where artists are supported to create, we can allow for a period of cultural growth. Not only that, but showing that it is possible in times of economic struggle proves that it is possible in times of economic growth. Providing more consistent funding for artists to create beyond the pandemic is something that can and should be invested in.
In allowing increased access to art and in creating a society where art is free to be made without economic constraint, we are working to build a society that is more culturally diverse and inclusive. A society without culture and art is flat, dull, and lifeless. An investment in art accessibility and education is an investment in a culturally rich community where individuals are free to create, express, experiment and learn. At the core of art is human connection, and every society, physical or online, could use more of that.
Endnotes
(1) "Plan Your Accessible Visit," Art Gallery of Ontario, accessed August 20, 2021, https://ago.ca/visitor-information/plan-your-accessible-visit.
(2) Gretel Khan, "COVID-19 has made education more accessible for university students with mobility disabilities," CBC News, March 3, 2021, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/disabilities-university-pandemic-access-distance-learning-1.5932146 (accessed August 20, 2021)
(3) "PLAN YOUR VISIT," Art Gallery of Ontario, accessed August 20, 2021, https://ago.ca/visit#admission.
(4) "NEW! Virtual Art Talks and Tours," Art Gallery of Ontario, accessed August 20, 2021, https://ago.ca/visit/group-visits/virtual-art-talks-tours.
(5) "Infographic: Digital arts consumption during COVID-19," Kantar Public, April 23, 2021, https://www.kantarpublic.com/inspiration/thought-leadership/infographic-digital-arts-consumption-during-covid19 (accessed August 20, 2021).
(6) Linda Essig, "What Paul Krugman and Arlene Goldbard have in Common," Creative Infrastructure (blog), January 4, 2011, https://creativeinfrastructure.org/2011/01/04/what-paul-krugman-and-arlene-goldbard-have-in-common/ (accessed August 20, 2021).
(7) "COVID-19 Arts Consumption Study," National Arts Council Singapore, July 8, 2021, https://www.nac.gov.sg/whatwedo/support/research/Research-Main-Page/Arts-Statistics-and-Studies/Participation-and-Attendance/COVID-19-Arts-Consumption-Study.html (accessed August 20, 2021).
(8) United States, COVID -19 Weekly Outlook, ANALYSIS: COVID-19's Impact on Art and Culture, by Greg Guibert and Iain Hyde ([Lemont, Illinois]: COVID-19 RSFLG Data and Assessment Working Group, January 4, 2021), https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/COVID-Outlook-Week-of-1.4.2021-revised.pdf (accessed August 20, 2021).
(9) Anne-Sophie V. Radermecker, "Art and culture in the COVID-19 era: for a consumer-oriented approach," SN Business and Economics 1, No. 4 (2021): https://doi.org/10.1007/s43546-020-00003-y (accessed August 20, 2021).