World Music Day: SA artists’ w

‘The State of the Arts’ director Adrien Conradie. Image: Supplied

World Music Day: SA artists’ woes documented in ‘State of the Arts’ [watch]

Released on World Music Day, ‘The States of the Arts’ is a compelling snapshot of the struggles faced by artists in South Africa

World Music Day: SA artists’ w

‘The State of the Arts’ director Adrien Conradie. Image: Supplied

A new South African documentary, titled The State of the Arts has been released on World Music Day 21 June, telling the story of the struggles faced by some of the country’s entertainment and live-performing artists during the COVID-19 pandemic and the still-ongoing lockdown restrictions.

‘The State of the Arts’: Impact of lockdown on artists

On 23 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he would be imposing a 21-day total lockdown on the country’s 56 million citizens.

The everyday difficulties, at first shared by all South Africans, became more than a year of uncertainty, frustration, and eventually despair, particularly for those reliant on the live music and entertainment industry for a living. The live entertainment sector remains severely impacted by the lockdown restrictions more than a year later.

The State of the Arts is both a tribute to the importance of this genre of artists and an even-handed look at the substantial uncertainty, lack of support, and the no less salient loss of purpose, fulfilment, and human connection experienced by the artists and practitioners featured.

The short film weaves together stories of various entertainment artists, including Kyle Watson, TiMO ODV, Majozi, Goodluck, Dean Fuel, Lady Lea and others, who have been unable to derive an income even as restrictions eased for virtually every other industry in South Africa.

ADRIEN CONRADIE: THE DIRECTOR BEHIND THE DOCCIE

The State of the Arts director, Adrien Conradie, also known as DJ and producer Aidin Caye, says he was inspired to undertake the project to showcase the difficulties faced by his colleagues and friends who are reliant on live performances for the majority of their income.

“At no point in the last 15 months have nightclubs legally been allowed to operate as they are seen to be high risk for the spread of COVID-19, and as much as the lockdown restrictions have eased as the time has gone by, the ability for our industry to operate has constantly been restricted, with very little support from government,” said Conradie. 

HOW TO SUPPORT SA ARTISTS

Conradie says that while some artists have been able to live off of royalties, many others have had to abandon their chosen profession and their passion to survive. 

A South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) study conducted in August 2020 found that nearly half of South Africa’s live music workers would quit the industry for good. 

“The State of the Arts is meant to shed light on our industry and to provide a platform for those who were prepared to share their experiences in the hope of educating and also comforting others who are going through the same struggle and knowing they are not alone,” continued Conradie. 

According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) calls to the organisation increased two-fold since the beginning of lockdown with a rise in depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among South Africans.

If you’d like to support the arts industry there are initiatives such as South African Fund for Entertainment and Cash for Creatives. You can also show support by buying merchandise, watch their live streams and stream their music.

WATCH ‘THE STATE OF THE ARTS’

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