How to Get the Most Out of Quarantine as a Performing Artist by Peter Minkoff

This is probably the first time ever that literally all of us are in the same problem. It doesn’t matter if you’re Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, or a regular Joe or Jane from anywhere in the world – we are all supposed to stay at home and try to find interesting ways to make this quarantine a tad more interesting. In the beginning, it might have been a bit fun, but now that time is long gone. It’s not only clubs, bars or coffee places that have lost customers, this situation is also taking its toll on performing artists as all concerts, festivals and similar events are being canceled all around the world. And until everything goes back to normal, it’s our job to make this quarantine as comfortable as we can. If you’re a performing artist, then you’re probably facing some challenges when it comes to both staying afloat and staying true to who you are as an artist.

Take your time to find motivation for future endeavors

One way to look at this whole charade is that life gave you lemons. No, life gave you whole buckets of lemons, so what you need to do is make lemonade out of everything. On the bright side, plenty of museums and similar venues opened their websites and let people roam freely among their web pages, so this might be the perfect time for you to go shopping for some motivation. There definitely are ways in which you can experience art in quarantine without leaving your home. You can watch streaming live sessions from different musical artists (like the pianist Lang Lang or Janelle Monáe), or visit some of the rooms of the Versailles in France or even check out the online viewing rooms of Art Basel Hong Kong. There are plenty of different options out there that won’t make you any cash but can literally do wonders for your motivation and give you ideas for future projects.

Be creative without a price

Perhaps the world thus far taught us that we should, as artists, try to give the people what they want, and that is how plenty of people lose themselves in the process. The quarantine might be a great time for you to be creative, not because of other people, but because of yourself. Put your own ideas out there, and do something that you have always wanted to do.

Plenty of artists have always wanted to create a video of their own. However, apart from rare artists such as Lana Del Rey, they always turn to professionals. It doesn’t matter if you’re a musician, actor or visual artist, you can use the perks of a good music video maker and make something that is both going to be aesthetically pleasing and allow you to stay true to who you are. Another benefit of this whole situation is that you have plenty of time (oh the irony) to play around with different tools and create something new and different. People pay a lot of attention to visualizers, so investing a bit of time and effort and checking out different tools might be a great way to find something that will make you stand out.

Go live on different social networks

As a last resort, but not necessarily the least interesting one, you can use the perks of social media and the Live option. Going live on Instagram or Facebook will not only help you stay present in the art world but also communicate with your fans and the people who like your art and what you do. Musicians such as John Legend, Chris Martin from Coldplay and James Blake and DJs such as Diplo and Armin van Buuren all performed songs while going live on Instagram or YouTube. On the other hand, you do not have to perform your own art if you do not want to or if you want to be a bit innovative and different in these difficult times. You can either be a musician or an actor, and you can still come up with something rather cool and interesting, such as covering your favorite songs in new ways or singing something that’s completely new and unheard of.

This time can be very overwhelming if you’re an artist. What to do next, how to plan this quarantine to match your career? Truth be told, this is the time to show who you are as a person first of all, and show your following what you are into and who your artist persona really is.