Creative expression and unity in Brazilian culture amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: A testament to resilience and human spirit

In the face of the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on culture and the creative industries in Brazil, various stakeholders are analyzing the implications for these sectors. Edna dos Santos, a member of Creative PEC's Global Creative Economy Council, is writing an article to shed light on these issues.

The pandemic has resulted in the destruction of over a million jobs in Brazil's creative sectors, a figure that underscores the urgency for action. The Global Creative Economy Council (GCEC) is engaging in conversations between the Global North and South, aiming to unsettle and reorder the creative economy.

One of the key discussions revolves around the co-location of the Creative Industries with other industrial strategy priority sectors. This exploration could potentially lead to synergies that would benefit both sectors.

Artificial intelligence and robotics are also playing a role in fighting the pandemic in Brazil. The Health Ministry, for instance, is using robots to call elderly people with high risk of contagion for a brief diagnosis by phone.

Professor Nick Wilson is discussing the Equity Gap in Britain's Creative Industries, while Professor Dave O'Brien emphasizes the importance of higher education to the arts, culture, and heritage sectors. The importance of accredited qualifications in journalism is also being emphasized.

The Brazilian government has allocated 4.6 per cent of the national public budget to implement the COVID-19 emergency package, which includes fiscal and monetary measures to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro businesses, and the self-employed. The Table Brazil SESC-RJ project, which fights hunger and reduces food waste, has been expanded during the COVID-19 period.

The Itaú Cultural Foundation provided a credit line of 750,000 reais in Brasília during the pandemic to support local artists and creative professionals affected by the cancellation of festivals and cultural events. A Law for Cultural Emergency (Lei Aldir Blanc) was approved by Congress, allowing the use of resources from the Federal Cultural Fund (R$3 billion) to provide emergency aid for three months to help compensate for the loss of revenue and to provide tax exemption for up to six months for the cultural industry and creative businesses.

Marta Foresti, the new Chair of the GCEC, explains the value of international cooperation in these challenging times. In response to the cancellation of festivals and cultural shows, the Secretary for Culture and Creative Economy of Brasilia formalized a financing scheme of R$750,000 to assist local artists and cultural creative professionals.

Festival #CulturaemCasa, a platform launched by the Secretary of Culture and Creative Economy of São Paulo, aims to stimulate social distancing while improving the access to virtual cultural contents from public cultural institutions.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan has made several sector-wide announcements. One of these is the COVID-19 voucher scheme, which has wide coverage. 65 million beneficiaries have followed instructions for digital eligibility and are receiving financial assistance for three months as compensation for their revenue losses.

However, the future of the creative industries is not without its challenges. Douglas Noonan and Joanna Woronkowicz discuss the potential dangers of dismissing or discarding data in the context of AI reshaping the creative sector. Ve Dewey asks who gets to create and whose voices are excluded in the AI-reshaped culture and sharing of creative works.

As the world navigates the challenges posed by the pandemic, the creative industries in Brazil are working towards recovery and rebuilding, with a focus on equity, cooperation, and innovation.