When the pandemic hit it was clear that art workers’ conditions had changed dramatically. The composition of the working class is vastly different than it was two years ago, and it’s likely to continue changing. Jobs in “arts, entertainment and recreation” fell by 66% in 2020—the largest decline among the city’s economic sectors. This swelling of the reserve army of labor put pressure on those still employed to take on numerous additional tasks, from hastily developing online classes from scratch to participating in elaborate cleaning protocols that allowed museums and other institutions to justify reopening.

To help understand these changes Art Workers’ Inquiry decided to draft an inquiry, Art Work During a Pandemic. It asked art workers to elaborate on exactly how their working conditions had changed. Are you receiving unemployment? Is it adequate? It also asked what changes art workers would like to see in their lives after the pandemic. Many of the answers received reflected fundamental changes that would impact the lives of all people, not just art workers. The responses overwhelmingly expressed a desire for a socially just world in which everyone would have the time and freedom to create and live an unalienated, fulfilling life.

The responses and artwork from many of the respondents were collected in this full color zine to help us understand where we are and where we could go.