Artists, arts administrators, and all those who work in the arts are among the most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the enforcement of the “shelter-in-place” ordinance, theaters, galleries, and performance spaces of all kinds have closed and shows have been either cancelled or postponed until further notice. A majority of artists have lost their main sources of income and are now facing uncertainty and struggling to make ends meet.

Here is a list of some resources available to artists during this pandemic.

In dealing with this pandemic, we at Kularts have been practicing the protocols of self-isolation and social distancing in doing our share to stop the spread of the virus. We have been working from home since the “shelter-in-place” ordinance was enforced in the San Francisco Bay Area on March 17 followed by the statewide ordinance on March 19.

We would like to share our first hand accounts of how we have been coping with this pandemic, so far. How it has affected our ability to work, how our artistic or work practice has, if at all, changed, and the ways in which we stay physically, mentally, and spiritually active.

Hana Lee, Project Manager

As a Kularts team member, the ordinance has heavily impacted our production schedule as programs have been postponed and our time has been dedicated to recreating these programs using virtual outlets.

As far as impact on my ability to work, personally, it has been hard not to be able to work in the office with the team. I thrive in an environment where your team is right there and we’re all physically present—I definitely know it’s empowering for me and helps with productivity.

I try to keep my normal routine as if it is a normal work day, so I do my workouts in the morning, have my breakfast and coffee, then off to work... at home.

I don’t have a desk or chair in my bedroom, I keep that space for sleeping only, but given the situation, I created a work space in my bedroom, temporarily. It was important that I created a dedicated work space where I can separate from being home to mentally being at work. Currently, I am in isolation with my sister, her boyfriend, and my two dogs; this change made us realize we had to share the home, all while respecting each other’s work space and time.

To remain physically, mentally, and spiritually active during this time, I like to take my dogs on long walks—it’s a very nice treat for me and them. Also, staying connected with friends and family. It’s sad to say, but I am able to talk to people who normally do not have a lot of time between our regular work schedules. We get creative with it by doing virtual work outs together, watch movies, and play games.

Cristino “Tino” Lagahid, Administrative Manager

I'm blessed to be able to work remotely for Kularts during this public health crisis, albeit removing in-person interaction has been a huge transition. Thankfully, Zoom, Google Hangouts, and other online platforms are serving their purposes. Still, working from home usually requires additional effort to keep focused. For me, rearranging my apartment so that a particular corner feels like a workspace is at the top of my list of things to do during this 'Shelter in Place' order. With two jobs, I'm normally not home this often, so adapting and creating a healthy workspace within my immediate living space is important. Also, keeping daily routines of exercise (via bodyweight workouts or high intensity interval training) and meditation are also key in securing my own peace during this time in history.

Also, I've started listening to "Stories with Sapphire" - a podcast examining supernatural experiences as it related to Philippine mythology.

I ran out of coffee so I’m starting my days off with matcha green tea with malunggay powder until it is essential for me to get more groceries.

Wilfred Galila, Media & Tech Director

I’ve been running outside while keeping social distance from people I encounter on the street and trails. Thankfully, we can still go out and get some much-needed sunshine. Many long distance running events or races in the upcoming months have been cancelled, including a marathon that I was training for, but continuing to work out has been quite beneficial to my physical and mental well being, most especially in these times.

I’ve realized that, in spite of the troubling situation that we’re all in, it’s also a good time to practice being totally present or, as they say, being in the here and now—to not think too much and worry about the unknown future and live in the moment. I find that it helps in dealing with anxious thoughts.

The things that I do, such as writing and video editing, are, for the most part, done indoors and in isolation, so I do enjoy and have my need for solitude. But I also value and enjoy real world human interaction, and, as a compromise, video conferencing for our Kularts staff meetings is something I appreciate that we’re able to do. I am grateful that in spite of all this, I’m still able to work from home and have been actually busy.

I’ve also been catching up on reading from my ever growing to-be-read pile of books as well as watching movies.

Alleluia Panis, Artistic & Executive Director

My go-to right now is to sit and chill in my neglected San Francisco backyard. In the first couple of days of 'shelter-in-place,' I pulled weeds intermittently for two days filling my green bin plus a large garden debris bag. It was satisfying and felt productive. Then, allergies kicked in, as though nature have had enough of my weed-pulling hours or maybe the body simply wanting to just sit and revel at the magnolia and lilac trees spring blooming. Magical and uplifting nature will do what it will despite our neglect.

Coping with the Pandemic