Understanding the factors that affected the resilience of performing arts workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Similar to a number of arts and cultural sector industries, the COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected the performing arts sector. Whilst research has focused on the impact on the industry and on freelance workers and performing artists during the lockdowns, this article investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the resilience of permanently employed workers in the performing arts industry (not performers or performing artists) based in England, UK as the performing arts industry re-opened in 2021/22. Utilising a qualitative approach (via semi-structured interviews), this paper establishes the factors that affected the resilience of these workers in England and explores the effect of the COVID-19-related closures and subsequent re-openings on the resilience of the performing arts workers. The study finds that the participants reported maladaptive or coping behaviours rather than resilience behaviours and described a discomfort at having to be personally resilient in the absence of organisational resilience.