Covid may have put an abrupt halt to cultural life but the response shows the sector is part of national recovery
In March 2020, live classical music and much of cultural life worldwide came to an abrupt halt overnight. Since then, we have seen the gradual reopening of concert halls in all four nations of the UK, as organisers, orchestras and musicians struggle to recover a loss of income, talent and confidence on an unprecedented scale.
As we enter 2022, it’s far from life as usual. Most institutions report that only around 65% of pre-pandemic capacity had been reached before the emergence of the Omicron variant. Undoubtedly, more government intervention is needed if the sector is not to be diminished further. Music is the soundtrack to our lives and classical musicians are major contributors to the UK’s reputation for cultural innovation and excellence.