Life Disrupted and Regenerated: Coping With the ‘New Normal’ Creative Arts in the Time of Coronavirus

In their scholarly study paper “Life Disrupted and Regenerated: Coping With the ‘New Normal’ Creative Arts in the Time of Coronavirus,” Malaysian scholars Connie Lim Keh Nie, Chong-Lee Yow, and Chow Ow Wei explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Malaysia’s creative arts scene. Known for their work in ethnomusicology, the authors employ a mix of auto-ethnography and virtual ethnography, gathering data from voice calls, social media, conference software, and streaming platforms.

Drawing parallels with the Great Depression of the 1930s, they argue that the 2020 pandemic-induced recession compelled creative professionals to reinvent their practices within digital environments. The authors examine dual themes of “disruption” and “regeneration,” documenting how musicians, artists, filmmakers, and festival organizers responded to the “new normal,” navigating the transition from disruption to survival in a post-COVID-19 context.