The COVID-19 outbreak has changed the landscape of the freelance and gig economy for the foreseeable future. With citywide quarantines, limited public gatherings, and social distancing, the financial impact on performers and entertainers will be significant.
While there is no way to prevent monetary and business losses, you can take a few steps to mitigate those losses and retain some level of control in uncertain times.
Provide online content
As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, creating and posting online content has never been more accessible. Most people are stuck at home, looking for ways to connect digitally and continue enjoying life. Consider some of these options to generate additional revenue.
- Use services like Patreon — Patreon is a membership-based platform that allows artists and creators to post and share content and monetize those efforts. You can do special performances and charge for access, offer subscriptions so fans can support you, and even sell original creations.
- Live stream events — Platforms such as YouTube and Mixer allow content creators to accept donations in real-time as they live stream. Both platforms have benchmarks and restrictions on this, so make sure you read the fine print.
- Sell some stuff — Maybe now is the time to sell some gear, offer commissions, or provide lessons online. Facebook Marketplace, Offer-Up, and Etsy are just a few examples of easy-to-use platforms to bring in some extra cash.
Explore support resources
In the Seattle area, where the first signs of the outbreak occurred, local artists and performers immediately responded by organizing resources to assist each other as social distancing and quarantine measures were enacted.
Take time to explore artists’ grants, small business relief, and other forms of economic assistance. Here are a few great links to help get you started:
- Covid-19 Freelance Artist Resource
- NW Folk Life COVID-19 Resource List
- Creative Capital
- National Coalition for Arts’ Preparedness & Emergency Response
- Americans for The Arts
Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help! The gig economy is a community and we can all succeed.
Keep detailed accounts of financial losses
In a recent Seattle Times article, Kate Becker, the creative economy strategist for King County, said, “If you are an artist, keep track of your financial losses from canceled gigs or other setbacks. Whatever relief packages emerge from this situation, documentation of your hardships will come in handy.” Keep a running tally of any cancellations, refunds, extra expenses, anything related to the COVID-19 issue.
The website Performing Arts Readiness provides this helpful tool to calculate losses.
Work with clients to credit for future dates
Goodwill is critical to keep business flowing when quarantines and closures are lifted. Once this season passes, people will be ready to get back out and have great events, and you want to be the first person they think of.
- Offer to reserve future dates rather than refunding deposits.
- Use the Golden Rule of treating people how you would want to be treated.
- Proactively contact your current booked clients and offer suggestions to work out a plan. Don’t wait for them to cancel.
- Work out creative solutions such as online concerts, performances, or parties.
The landscape of the gig economy is changing with every announcement and closure. Take time to gather your resources, develop a plan, and weather the storm.
Loves music, reading, and binge-watching TV and eating pizza with his wife. Has three amazing kids. Believes that life is about questions, not answers.
It would be a both a great help and act of kindness and solidarity if GigSalad would allow us to suspend our accounts until this blows over, so that we are not paying for the months of advertising to nobody. We are earning nothing now, as you know. Some of us have been guilted into paying deposits back to grouchy brides, or carrying over deposits on events to a postponed event. Could you do the same for us?
The rational among us are looking for other work, or pivoting our careers. I just applied for food stamps – but it will take a month.
Livestreaming will not sustain us. Events are over for 12-18 months. Please allow us to put our accounts on hold, either refund us the pre-paid months, or allow us to extend later – just the same as the world is asking of us, during this time of zero event income.
One difference which works in your favor is that your employees will be able to get unemployment payments, while many of us, as independent contractors are not even eligible for unemployment.
I thank you in advance for your consideration, and for your kindness. -Daniel Fries
We definitely understand the unique situations performers are in right now. We are still seeing leads come in for dates later in the year and more immediate virtual events. People are resilient and they want entertainment, so they are finding ways to make it happen! But we know that’s not sustainable or applicable for all performers, and we’re happy to see that the stimulus bill that recently passed will provide unemployment benefits to freelancers. In addition, we do want to help as much as we can as well, so please email our team at help@gigsalad.com and we can talk about your membership options. 😊
One thing that needs to be taken into account – with many of us unable to work/perform due to various stay-at-home regulations, income is somewhat non-existent (my daytime business is currently closed with only one order to be delivered and that means I’ll be without any income for at least 2-3 more weeks, along with my gigs being cancelled). Asking people to donate to a live stream during this time may not be the best thing we can ask for. Many people’s income stream has been disrupted and “we” don’t know when that will change – for many it could turn into being unemployed.
Thank you for this! As a performer from an earlier generation, it is not a reflex to go online. We were trained to go to agents…. This gives me hope through these financially challenging times and beyond!
This may be helpful for some, but for myself and the entertainment I provide, is simply put on hold. I do stage hypnosis, this needing volunteers and typically groups of 100 or more attending event. Anyone have any ideas?
You guys are awesome! I’m so glad to work with the Gig Salad family. Thank you for being such a great resource & business asset for so many years!
Steve & Angel King
I work for gigsald and a couple other apps and temp agencies, do you know if we can file for unemployment? I have 1099s and proof of work. I cant find any info. And I cant fill out the paperwork in Nevada because none of the companies I work for have their offices in nevada.
The new stimulus bill that recently passed will offer more unemployment benefits for freelancers and gig workers. We’ll hopefully have more info about that in a future post, but that’s something you could start looking into.
Free lancers do not get unemployment
This stimulus has nothing for independent contractors, like us. I would like my account put on hold as I am paying for nothing. and also paying leads on gigs that have been cancelled.
Hi Norm, that is actually not true. :) The economic relief package has extended unemployment relief to freelancers (which has never happened before). The SBA is also offering assistance to sole proprietors. We would encourage you to check with your local unemployment office for more information! Please contact our customer service team to freeze your account by emailing help@gigsalad.com. Thank you!
If GigSalad REALLY wanted to help, they would extend ALL current paid subscriptions for a year.
There are simply NO gigs at the present and “foreseeable future” time.
Give us a break.
We definitely understand the hardships that many of our members are facing right now and want to help. Contact our Customer Happiness team at help@gigsalad.com and we’ll see what we can do. 🙂
for the paid memebers are you guys doing anything to help us out.
1. freeze acconts so we dont lose these months.
Hi Chris,
Shoot an email to our Customer Happiness team at help@gigsalad.com and we can help you out. 🙂
Thank you for all the different options.