The never-ending showcase
If you are a performing artist, you have to constantly prove your very existence — especially during a pandemic. Here’s how I am changing my approach to sharing creative content online.
I’m still here
I am a musician and visual artist who produces a weekly music video about traditional music. Sur le bout du banc (on the end of the bench) is a series featuring veteran Québec fiddler Claude Méthé and guests who share the bench with him for a tune or three.
As artists living in a world where it is increasingly difficult to make a reasonable living, we need to conserve our time and energy for creative activities that will bear fruit and satisfy our artistic drive. Sur le bout du banc was born when — after spending thousands of dollars to promote ourselves and to perform (for no pay) at a major international music industry event — a year’s worth of contracts was abruptly postponed and then cancelled. Meanwhile, local gigs and our weekly traditional jams were off-limits and for the better part of two years, even playing with friends became impossible due to provincial health restrictions.
To add insult to injury, the new, virtual world of gigging has meant that not only do we perform “one-way” for…
