During these times of social distancing and closure of theatres and hotels, local artists are unable to perform their art and earn a living. Many of them are struggling to survive whilst others are resilient to keep faith of better days ahead. So, we turned to some of them to have an insight on how they are coping in this pandemic time.
Jean Renat Anamah, dance choregrapher: “With the closing of frontiers, hotels and theatres, countless artists are struggling daily to survive”.
Aged 55, Jean Renat Anamah is a much-acclaimed Mauritian dancer and choreographer. Famous for his shows in local hotels and theatre, he also made his name in the world of dance on the international level. From Classical Ballet to Tap Dance as well as Modern Jazz and Modern Dance, he nails them all with his incredible performances on various sets. Moreso, owner of dance school situated at Beau-Bassin, he teaches and transmits his art and knowledge daily to kids, youngsters and adults. Choreographer by excellence, Jean Renat Anamah equally coach dancers seeking to achieve higher heights on a professional level.
However, since march 2020, Covid-19 has taken a toil on his work life. Since the two confinements and the restrictions linked to Quarantine Act put forward by the government to ensure public health during the Covid-19 pandemic, he is unable to dance nor teach his students. Can artists live of art alone? “Many of them will only say: Hell no! While some who are passionate about their art will persevere against all odds. Pandemic or not, they will go beyond means to survive”, says Jean Renat Anamah. However, facts are that since a year with the closing of frontiers, hotels and theatres, countless local artists are struggling to survive the moment Covid-19 pandemic, he adds. How are you coping since? To this question, the professional dancer replies: « It’s really hard. Due to sanitary restrictions, many shows have been cancelled. Moreso, we are unable to attend international events”.
The dancer who had a quite a comfortable life before Covid-19 struggle indicates that he has no other choice than to rely on his savings to make it through each day. “For two years, I am teaching a module for Architecture for ENSA -Nantes. By teaching online, this is helping me to have some revenue”, he shares. Did you benefitted from the Self-employed Assistance Scheme of Rs 5200 put forward by the government to relieve self-employed people? “Yes, I did. But many artists will agree with me that this money is not enough to live on a daily basis. We performers of various arts have families to feed and bills to pay as well as food to buy each day. I’m lucky enough to be able to rely on my savings. I have also been helping some friends of mine having financial difficulties. I think many artists would be relieved if the government could come up with a better aid during these difficult times over the country”, says Jean-Renat Anamah. As for how he sees the future of the artists post-Covid-19, the acclaimed dancer does believe that better days will unfold. Till then, he just keeps faith and put up to the situation to his best.
Emmelyne Marimootoo, singer: “Being a professional artist in times of Covid-19 is indeed hard”.
Lao, her song made her popular in 2016. Accoustic sega singer for nearly six years, Emmelyne Marimootoo known on stage as Emyln is aged 26. Unable to perform for concerts and shows in hotels like she used to do before the pandemic of Covid-19, she is alike many other singers, struggling to live on her art. “Being a professional artist in times of Covid-19 is indeed hard,” she shares. Bills and rent to pay as well as food to buy to survive, the young artist has no choice than to put up with this wave of uncertainty hitting the creative industry. How? “Singing in hotels and performing on stage for concerts helped me to earn a living since I decided to make career in the music arena. But right now, with the temporary closure of the hotels, theatres and the frontiers, the situation is getting more complicated and financially, it’s a struggle to survive”, she adds.
Emyln explains that in order to make it through, she does some crafts and decided to grow her own vegetables in the back yard of her house. “I had to readapt my lifestyle and find ways to keep living. As for concerts, thanks to Kafe Kiltir, I managed to do some concerts online. More so, other countries help with online festivals and concerts. This helps in having some revenue. Though it is a bit of a relief, it’s not enough to survive on the long run”, says the singer. The later adds that the second confinement in March 2021 put her back to square one. “I’m trying to get through some opportunities and it’s ironic that other countries are more concerned to help our struggling artists than our own”, she states. Why do you say that? To that question, Emyln voice out that local artists spend time and energy in making amazing creative arts to make Mauritius shine on international levels but in return, the country does not do much for them. “I believe the government could do some effort and try to help us out in many ways”.
Did you perceive the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme? “Yes, I did receive Rs 5200 once and that was it. I wonder how they expect artists to survive with this amount in consideration of the actual cost of living”, says Emyln. And what do you think of the Covid-19 Artists Support Plan 2021? To that, the singer just says: “It’s not enough because of creation of work and studio fees. It is appreciated that government is making some effort to try to help but it would be even better if it also changes the remuneration of royalties to the artists. So that even in pandemic time, we can still create songs and get more remuneration from MASA for radio and tv. So that even in this difficult time hitting the island, when we release music, we can get more than 68cents for royalties”, suggests Emyln. The latter further shares that creation of music requires a lot of time and resources. The money given, will never suffice. “Artists have always been struggling and with Covid-19 pandemic, it’s worst. The future is uncertain for sure, but passionate as we are, we will keep trying our best to make it through until better days unfold”, concludes the young singer.
Belingo Faro, musician: « No other choice than to tune ourselves to make it through”.
Musician, Belingo Faro is from Palma, Quatre-Bornes. He was 10 years old when he started to play the guitar, then he moved on to drums and he ended a pianist. To live on his art has been a struggle but he persevered to reach heights. At the moment, the musician is going through the wave of Covid-19 by being positive. Alike all local artists and those around the world, the pandemic has an impact on his work life. Rent to pay as well as food to buy to survive on a daily basis, Belingo Faro is doing his best to make it through. Part-time music teacher at Conservatoire François Mitterrand, he currently giving online courses to have a monthly revenue. Although Internet is lagging and it is difficult to hear his students play music from distance, he tries his best to put up with this new way of teaching until he can take back his job normally.
As for the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, he says although he cannot escape the financial brawl, he maintains a positive state of mind. “Covid-19 has put all of us through a self-reflection phase. Where all have to find their own ways to keep going. I think the pandemic is teaching us how to tune ourselves to be the best version of ourselves. If we understand this, we will be able to sail through this wave and gear up for the future opportunities. Meanwhile, we just need to be patient and carry on”, he adds. What do you think of the Covid-19 Artists Support Plan 2021? With laughs, he shares that he solicited to the ministry of arts for support for a single he produced with another artist. “They said we need to produce a CD. I wonder in this technological era, who still buys CDs. At the end of the day, we just need to rely on ourselves to find ways to survive on our art, until a national effort is done to put an end to the perpetual struggle local artists face since years”, he concludes.
Jacques Henri Dick, sculptor: « A positive mindset is the key to sail through the Covid-19 pandemic. »
At the age of 10, he sculpted a child reaching out for his mother in a branch. Since his passion for sculpture started, says Jacques Henri Dick. As from when his artist career started, he reveals that he participated in an International Symposium In Switzerland where he was awarded the “Prix du Public”. “ I was offered a scholarship to sharpen my sculpting talents. This led me to L’Atelier Michaelangelo where I acquired refined sculpting skills which I use in the daily production of my art” says Jacques Henri Dick. Aged 35, he currently works for an NGO as Plastic Arts animator. If this helps him to earn a living at the moment, the young sculptor adds he made the most of confinements time to work on his art. “I was lucky enough to have some orders. So, I have been busy in my workshop sculpting some doors and interior design objects for some clients”, he says.
As for his opinion on the difficult time imposed by Covid-19 on the creative industry, Jacques Henri Dick affirms he took out the positivity. “Sculpture is not only about carving wood. It is a lot of research, a way to reconnect to the inner self, it is spiritual, and it is an exchange of ideas and perceptions with the ones who look or buy the sculptures”, indicates the artist. The later further adds that since the lockdown in March 2020, he has been spending a lot of time online with friends and international artists. Together, they discussed, exchanged ideas, and share knowledge whilst supporting each other during the sanitary crisis across the world. “As an artist, we cannot do much now. The frontiers are closed so we cannot participate in international events and expositions. We just must be patient until things get better, and we are able to travel again. Meanwhile, we must do with what we have and can get.
One amazing thing is the virtual world who enabled me to share my art. This has been very positive for me. To get out of the situation, I believe a strong mindset will help many artists to sail through the Covid-19 pandemic. Each one has to do his own effort”, tells Jacques Henri Dick. How are you coping? To this question, the young sculptor says by being positive and being grateful that he still can work his life out and live comfortably. However, he said it’s sad to see that many artists are struggling right now to survive the Covid-19 impact. “I think some effort should be done to revalue the profession of artists in Mauritius. Many initiatives can be taken to relieve them. I am sure there are many solutions to make things better on a national level”, thinks the sculptor. And concludes that the Covid-19 Pandemic is out of his control thus instead of wasting time in negativity, he prefers to accept the situation and move forward until better days unfold.
Covid-19 Artists Support Plan 2021
Seven measures of a total cost of Rs 9 million have been allocated to different categories of artists for the Covid-19 Artists Support Plan 2021. This initiative has been put forward by the Ministry of Arts in collaboration with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. However, artists who opt for this plan of support will only be eligible to benefit from this support plan if all conditions imposed by the Ministry of Arts is respected. Moreso, they will require to produce artwork based on Specific themes. Namely Linite / Solidarite / Lape, Listwar nou bann zanset, Listwar lil Moris, Kiltir morisien, Metie lokal, Lakwizinn morisien, Progre sosial ou swa lekonomi Moris depi lindepandans, Lepep morisien and Koabitasion pliri-etnik morisien have been put forward by the Ministry of Arts. Below, here is an insight of the allocated funds for artists in different arts.
Music
Rs 15 000 will be allocated to produce a song on one of the above specific themes and an additional sum of Rs 30 000 will be allocated for each song selected for production in a studio.
Literature
Rs 25 000 will be allocated per author for acquisition of oeuvre (50 books) by local artists. And Rs 10 000 will be allocated per local author presenting a book based on one of the above themes.
Painting
A financial assistance capping the sum of Rs 30 000 will be allocated to produce oeuvre based on the above themes.
Sculpture
A financial assistance capping the sum of Rs 50 000 will be allocated to produce oeuvre based on the above themes.
Cinematography
Rs 75 000 will be allocated for the production on a documentary of 5-10 minutes on one of the above themes.
Photography
Rs 10 000 will be allocated to beginner or professionnel photographers to produce an album of 10 à 20 photos based on the above themes.
Other form of arts including dance.
Projects based on one of the above themes can be submitted to the Ministry of Arts and after approval, a financial aid will be considered.
For more information, artists are required to call on 213 4233 or 214 2173 within 9 am to 4 pm from Monday to Friday. More so application forms and participation criterias are available on culture.govmu.org.
