The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of freelance rhythm musicians working in Finland during 2020–2022
Huttunen, Riitta; Riskilä, Sampo (2022)
Huttunen, Riitta
Riskilä, Sampo
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022113025250
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022113025250
Tiivistelmä
The music industry was economically, socially and mentally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. The purpose of this study, The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of freelance rhythm musicians working in Finland in 2020–2022, was to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the well-being of freelance musicians. The study gives a voice to the freelancers and also serves as documentation of an exceptional time period from the beginning of the 2020s to present day. The study was executed in cooperation with the Finnish Musicians’ Union. Erik Allardt’s needs theory and Aaron Antonovsky’s salutogenic theory were applied as the theoretical framework and the data was collected by using a qualitative interview, in which 11 freelance musicians participated. This is the first empirical study on the well-being of freelance musicians in Finland.
The common factor that emerged from the interviews was the loss of job opportunities for freelance musicians due to the social closures caused by the pandemic. The direct consequences of that were subsequent changes in everyday life and lifestyle in terms of work, economy, routines and social relations as well as experiences of worthlessness and injustice. The changes led to an existential crisis at the individual and community level, which manifested itself in prolonged stress and negative effects on mental and physical well-being and health. The results of this study clearly illustrate the holistic and multidimensional nature of well-being, where change in one area of well-being inevitably impacts on other areas of well-being. The musicians linked the concepts of well-being and well-being at work. Personal well-being is reflected in work, and work-related issues are reflected in personal well-being. The most common description of well-being at work was the opportunity to “do cool stuff with cool people”. For musicians, a good working community is a two-way street: one’s own personal well-being and that of the working community as a whole is supported by the fact that one can give and add value to the community and also receive it in return. Although the musicians were hit extremely hard by the pandemic, each musician interviewed also found good things to come out of the pandemic. The industry has long been dominated by the myth of the artist in distress although, in fact, a person who is unwell is only able to use a small fraction of his or her capacity. When musicians are well, those around them are well, and so is the music industry as a whole.
The common factor that emerged from the interviews was the loss of job opportunities for freelance musicians due to the social closures caused by the pandemic. The direct consequences of that were subsequent changes in everyday life and lifestyle in terms of work, economy, routines and social relations as well as experiences of worthlessness and injustice. The changes led to an existential crisis at the individual and community level, which manifested itself in prolonged stress and negative effects on mental and physical well-being and health. The results of this study clearly illustrate the holistic and multidimensional nature of well-being, where change in one area of well-being inevitably impacts on other areas of well-being. The musicians linked the concepts of well-being and well-being at work. Personal well-being is reflected in work, and work-related issues are reflected in personal well-being. The most common description of well-being at work was the opportunity to “do cool stuff with cool people”. For musicians, a good working community is a two-way street: one’s own personal well-being and that of the working community as a whole is supported by the fact that one can give and add value to the community and also receive it in return. Although the musicians were hit extremely hard by the pandemic, each musician interviewed also found good things to come out of the pandemic. The industry has long been dominated by the myth of the artist in distress although, in fact, a person who is unwell is only able to use a small fraction of his or her capacity. When musicians are well, those around them are well, and so is the music industry as a whole.