Indian Artist Community- Impact of COVID-19: Creativity Amid Economic Despair

Abstract An artist's identity faced the global hindrances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis's impact on India's artistic communities. The art sector was critically affected due to the pandemic, with institution closures, events and festival cancellations, and restricted art productions leaving millions of artists unemployed. Significant engagement with the arts has been mainly through digital technologies and virtual formats during the lockdown period. To preserve the artist's identity, virtual exhibitions have emerged as a potential medium for the presentation of art and facilitating art, as disaster risk is increasing worldwide, and so are the management and preventive measures towards sustainability of well-being, thus increasing the potential for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Financial, technical, interactive platform in approachable ways that enhance visually representing the insight of DRR. The research gap offers a more comprehensive understanding of artists and artists' community and the perusal of creativity in visual arts, propagating despite all lacunas created by the pandemic- Covid 19. The paper addresses how artists have strived to sustain their basic instincts to create in unfavourable circumstances. The study is grounded in qualitative Research conducted through in-depth interviews with artists and those who were active visual art professionals during the pandemic. Secondary data from published sources, including scholarly articles and reports from official government websites, is collected. The past couple of years have been incredibly challenging for the arts sector, causing significant economic loss and exacerbating emotional and mental struggles for artists. The pandemic- endurance to overcome hindrances- creates creativity and challenges for the art community regarding visibility and engagement. The career experiences of emerging Indian artists amid the pandemic are explored, highlighting challenges and growth opportunities. The eminent artists raised funds for the artist community for professional aspects, health, and survival. Government programs aim to empower both emerging and experienced artists, from within the nation and globally, to contribute to a meaningful narrative about how artists and their communities have used the impact of the pandemic as a catalyst for creativity and expression.