JAMES STRECKER: In what specific ways has COVID-19 changed your creative/artistic life in the arts?
JANE HARBURY: Not categorizing myself as Artist, I have been creative is some fairly boring ways. I have had time (and a good shredder that accepts stapled papers). I have shredded down several old (’09- ’12) tax related folders), many past clients files, and a number of duplicate artist-related print reviews. I have also started tackling the huge excess of CDs collected/given over the years. This is very hard given that so many are friends’ hard creative work and heart that went into the making, and I am making the painful decision to discard
JS: How creative are you feeling with COVID-19 on your mind?
JH: I make a list every morning (sometimes the evening before) and get ready to cross off the first 4 or 5: get up, put kettle on & pour boiling water into bodum, shower, dress, pour mug of coffee. Already I’ve done well – lots of ‘ticks.’
Then I watch CP24, and at 7AM click over to see what Savanna thinks about the White House night before lies.
Then I feed the birds (there are many more birds than 6 weeks ago).
I think about the rest of the to-do list, but first need to eat 2nd morning meal – it is, after all, now 9AM.
Check email and FB and respond to a few.
Check Tweets and reply to a few
By 10AM I usually walk down to mail box
And so it goes for the rest of each day – couple of little chores, then EAT – repeat x 10.
JS: In what specific ways has COVID-19 changed your personal life?
JH: What is this “personal life” of which you speak? Until March 14, I was busy working with clients, wrapping up campaigns, working with our Hugh’s Room team to try and massage some shows with less than capacity shows. writing at least 3 or 4 media releases each day and initiating or fielding media responses. My workday would be geared to leaving the house/office around 6PM to head down to my second home Hugh’s Room Live to make sure any accredited media followed the rules vis a vis where they would be situated and how many songs they were allowed to shoot etc.
JS: What are your primary worries, at this time, about the present situation in the arts because of COVID-19?
JH: Personally, I am very worried about my place in the only world I really know and embrace – I am in my 51st year of the predominantly arts related world.
There will likely not be touring opps for some time
I worry for all the venues, all the artists not being able to feel and see the audience response, all the concert goers – everyone needed for a healthy vibrant arts scene – and also when/if we are able to return to some semblance of that.
JS: What are your primary worries about the future situation in the arts because of COVID-19?
JH: See above response. This awful situation we’re all in will make good healthy houses way harder, no matter how great the artists/shows may be, I believe.
I am “going” to a number of artists’ on line concerts – it’s a great idea, particularly if they are able to monetize these. But the obvious disadvantages are reactions they can feel, the commitment from audiences to tune in on whatever platform they are on, commitment to stay for the whole ‘however long,’ and the general desire to support those artists they know and like/love versus other artists that are doing their thing at the same time.
It’s kinda like we seem to be suffering from a distinct lack of focus – attention span of a dill pickle really.
JS: What are you yourself doing to get through this time of crisis?
JH: James, I was always good at Precis-ing my responses, so I think I’ve maybe answered this. But – huge, for me – is that I’ve mastered zoom, and also I now know how to save a word doc into a pdf – it’s the little things right?
My next goal is to learn how to save some of my CDs to the computer so that I can get rid of some of the physical, and then add client copies to drop box.
JS: What are other creative/artistic people you know doing to get through this time of crisis? What are the saddest stories you’ve heard about creative/artistic people during this time of COVID-19? What are the most encouraging or inspiring stories you’ve heard about creative/artistic people during this time of COVID-19?
JH: The support and caring from those that are able to give to others, to initiate support using THEIR star power. I think of the goodness in so many. I love that Serge Ibaka (Toronto Raptor) is supporting his city (Toronto) so beautifully, I love that Slaight Family is always one of the, if not THE first to give support.
JS: How can we support people in the arts during this difficult time?
JH: Really I think, tune in to as many artists trying to do quarantine concerts as possible. There are VERY many and folks will likely enjoy a number. You don’t have to add financial support to most altho’ that would likely be well received. But I suggest that and buying a copy of the current release – and spreading the word. These are ways to keep artists’ hopes alive and will go a long way to help them adding fans to their core base.
JS: Finally, what specifically can we do to support your life and work in the arts?
JH: Not sure that there is much anyone can do short of telling folks about this old broad who still has good ears, the respect from (most) of the media. Who is now able to teach and communicate via zoom, who has learned how to convert a doc. from word to a pdf, but still gets responses from media types when asking for said response via email and/or telephone.