"Youth Triumphant" sculpture in Barre
Two words that got used a lot in 2020 are "resilience" and "pivot." The former is always a good thing; the latter we'd be happy to dump in the vocabulary dustbin. Pivoting was what everyone on the planet was forced to do this year when the coronavirus arrived — most definitely including the creative sector. The cancellations of performances and exhibitions, the closure of venues, and the loss of income for many artists and arts organizations were severe blows; we may not yet know the full extent of the effects.
In response, creatives got, well, creative. It didn't take long for nearly every kind of artist to reposition themselves online. Many learned recording and livestreaming skills and realized far-reaching opportunities; none of that will disappear when the virus does. Others repaired to the social-distancing-friendly outdoors — think drive-in movies and concerts, Vermont Shakespeare Festival's "Bard in the yard" engagements, and the Flynn's pop-up performances in Burlington parks over the summer.