29 May, 2020 | 4:00 - 6:00 PM | Webinar FESTIVAL CONNECTIONS
An Annual Programme of Expertise, Knowledge, and Networking between India and the UK.
Gig Workers and COVID-19
Spotlight on Freelancers, Independent Workers and Consultants
The Indian culture sector and cultural festivals tend to have small teams, and have largely been working with freelancers, independent workers and consultants, who have sustained and shaped the sector in multiple ways. The mushrooming of the cultural festival sector in the recent past has generated further employment opportunities for gig workers in the creative sector.
With festivals being cancelled and postponed, gig workers have have lost out on projects and income; and has emerged as one of the hardest hit communities in the sector. This webinar looked at the impact of COVID-19 on the community and offered some key takeaways for gig workers to approach work and the future in the creative sector.
The session moderated by Rashmi Dhanwani from the Art X Company had representatives from the Gig Workers community throwing light at some of the issues they faced due to the lockdown ranging from financial challenges, mental health issues, problems around productivity and lack of clarity on how they should approach work as well as the lack of unity in the sector. As a peer sharing session, they also offered insights into how they successfully managed to overcome some of these challenges.
The speakers for the session included Atul Churamani - MD, Turnkey Music & Publishing P.L, Neha Kirpal - Co-founder, InnerHour, Priyanka Khimani - Entertainment and Music Rights Expert and leading intellectual property lawyer, from India; and Ms. Rebecca Gould, Head of Arts, British Council Wales, from the UK.
Atul Churamani spoke of the importance to strategise, pivot and move ahead, while Neha Kirpal emphasised on taking care of ones mental health while working in challenging environments. Priyanka pitched in with how one should not take the compliance aspects of setting up a business lightly and offered some takeaways on managing financial challenges as an independent worker. Rebecca with her expertise in the UK suggested how organising as collectives, informal and formal, could help in the short and long run for professionals in the sector.
You can watch the recording of the session here- https://youtu.be/6xeoArPgJXI?t=59