The Road to Recovery? report, based on a sector survey from late 2021, looks at the current situation and future outlook for freelancers, and asks what - if any - progress has been made to rebalance the cultural sector as we progress on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The findings show that with half of freelancers losing over 80% of their work during 2021 the current outlook for the sector in Wales is still bleak. Just as venues were opening, audiences tentatively returning, and freelancers being employed again, the Omicron variant resulted in new restrictions.
Even though the research found that the various financial support schemes provided by the Welsh Government, UK government and sector bodies provided some relief to a majority of cultural freelancers, the support didn’t cover all losses that freelancers experienced.
The data additionally shows that freelancers with protected characteristics and/or who had caring responsibilities in 2021 face additional barriers to support and are at greater risk of leaving the industry.
With many support schemes which ran during 2021 now closed and new restrictions in place, freelancers face a tumultuous and difficult year ahead. It is therefore important to further support the sector in the coming months. In January the third round of the Welsh Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund was announced, making another £15.4 million available to support the arts and cultural sector in Wales during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, which is highly welcomed.
You can find more insights and the full report on the Cultural Freelancers Wales website or download below.
Click here for the audio version.
