COVID-19 Statement — York Mediale

COVID-19 Statement

To our staff, collaborators, artists, our community and all fellow Yorkies. 

York Mediale, in its purest form, is a network of wonderfully creative people. Some run venues, some build technology, some create art and some help bring art to an audience. Most don’t work directly for York Mediale, but all are united in a singular goal, to bring beautiful and joyful art to our home city of York. 

It pains us to see the already massive impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on this network. The uncertainty faced at this challenging time can seem overwhelming.  

However, York Mediale is still open for business. We are still commissioning and planning for a full-blooded festival come October (21st to 25th). We’ve all relocated to our various homes and started the process of introducing our kids and pets to the wonders of video meetings! 

We are planning some online artist talks, artist development surgeries, performances, and more. Bear with us while we get this together. Furthermore, we would like to make an offer to any of our friends in need. If you need advice on a contract, then please reach out to us. If you have any ideas about virtual online projects you’d like us to partner in, then reach out to us. In short, we’re here to help in whatever way we can.  

Finally, as an arts festival, it’s not our place to give advice on how you should be staying safe. However, please act responsibly, we’re all in this together. Below, we will signpost resources and information that the sector has been sharing, creatively, technically and artistically. 

Stay safe and speak soon. 

The York Mediale Team.   

Some online nuggets for you: 

  • Subscribers to Adobe Creative Suite can get 2 months free. Info here.
  • Over 400 artist and creative talks from the excellent EYEO and INSTINT festivals are available here.
  • The incredible Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Turner prize-winning artist who grew up in York, has published low res exports of his last three films on YouTube until the venues that were planning to screen them can reopen. Available here.
  • Moog and Korg have made several synth apps free for your #stayathome leisure. Details here.
  • Google and Microsoft are offering free upgrades to video-conferencing software. Details here.
  • Isn’t it wonderful having a national broadcaster? Here’s the BBC’s plan to help.
  • Affinity are offering 90 days free on their entire creative suite here.