To which extent was corporate support of the arts and culture impacted by the Covid-19 crisis?

The cultural sector presents unique characteristics and relies heavily on third parties to operate its activities. Overtime, there has been a transfer of responsibility from the public to the private sphere; which highlights the need for cultivating entrepreneurial skills and knowledge in the arts and culture sector on how to explore alternative methods of generating income and seeking sources of support. Under the Covid-19 pandemic, these circumstances led to general hardship across the cultural sector and accentuated its fragility. Moreover, the public health crisis disrupted the whole economy and society, leading businesses to be vigilant or reassess their strategies and, eventually leading to a shift in supporting the arts and culture. This research explores potential shifts and adaptations that may have led to new outcomes and paradigms. The main research question guiding this study is: "To which extent was corporate support of the arts and culture impacted by the Covid-19 health crisis?", looking into the Dutch context during the 2020-2022 timespan. This question is addressed through a qualitative-method that makes use of semi-structured, in-depth, interviews. The analysis delves into factors such as changes in feelings regarding the corporate support of the arts and the reallocation of resources in response to the crisis. The research finds that the financial impact of the health crisis was not substantial among the companies interviewed and that adjustments to their long-term strategies for support of the arts and culture is not among primary concerns. Notwithstanding, the unique challenges that the cultural sector endured through the pandemic period were highly acknowledged by all participants. Although companies reported a relatively unchanged scenario in terms of their support to the arts and culture, they point to several short-term initiatives aimed at leveraging or making use of their relationships with the cultural sector and increased communication with cultural partners. Moreover, the research reinforces the need of addressing structural problems of the creative sector, especially in light of the health crisis. It is rather inconclusive on whether these will be addressed in the post-pandemic period or deprioritized once a sense of "normality" is restored.