How to Support Creatives this Festival Season

Featured photo by Ivan Meneses

In light of tours and festivals being cancelled left and right, the entertainment industry has taken a heavy toll. We wanted to share a few ways you can still manage to support creatives during this time. By that, we’re talking about the artists, management, promoters, graphic designers, photographers, small businesses, and more who have all felt the trickle down effect of this.

#1: Stream artists music

Stream, and we cannot stress this enough, their music. Buy their music on Bandcamp if you can, or rack those streams up on Spotify, Apple Music, or Soundcloud. We already love their music, so let’s play it a little more often until we can hear it in a live setting again.

#2: Buy some merch

We understand that times are tough for a lot of us right now and this may not be possible for everyone. But if you have the means, check out their websites and buy some official merch! They’ll appreciate the support more than you know, and you get to rock some sick new gear. It’s a win-win for both parties in the midst of a not-so-great situation.

On top of that — keep supporting those small festival clothing brands! This is a lot of their primary source of income. You may not be able to wear them out yet, but you’ll definitely be ready to stunt at that first festival back. Plus, some of them can even double as street wear. And if you see photographers selling prints of their work, maybe consider grabbing a few.

#3: Hold onto your tickets

As we’re all well aware, our spring and summer schedules collectively cleared up due to cancellations. If an event was simply postponed to a later date and you have the capacity to, hold onto the tickets for the new dates rather than asking for a refund.

#4: Sign up for a production class

Since we’ll all probably be spending a lot of time in our homes, a few artists have started offering online mentoring sessions for producing, as well as selling sample packs. For up and coming producers, this is an awesome way to get some one-on-one insight and knowledge.

#5: Share their posts on social media

This might be the easiest way to support creatives in this day and age. If you see them posting their music, merch, etc., hit that share button and help them out with getting exposure!

In addition, large organizations like MusiCares and Backline Care offer emergency relief funds for those working in the music industry who may have been affected. You can visit here for more information and to see if you’re eligible for the grant. For more resources for freelance artists, check out this website.

Most importantly, stay home if possible, avoid unnecessary large social gatherings, wash your hands, and take care of yourselves and one other. Compassion goes a long way, and we’ll bounce back from this in due time. In the meantime, we can be excited for all of the groundbreaking music and projects that will stem from this, including ideas like live-streaming sets and Discord festivals. (And PS, if you’re doing live sets online, we highly urge you to hire and support a VJ if possible!)