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Metro Detroit artists thankful for the return of art fairs amid pandemic

Posted at 3:06 PM, Sep 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-28 13:57:33-04

(WXYZ) — Like everything else, the pandemic impacted the art world as well.

With mass gatherings banned last year, many art fairs had to be canceled or postponed.

This not only affected the livelihood of many artists, but for some, it prevented them from following their passion.

“I initially had to find a job right away and from there I kept job-hopping to a point where I was working 60 hours a week,” says Anthony R Brass.

While for Kat Zinn, "The biggest challenge we had was to try and come up with enough income to keep the credit cards income coming in."

To put things into perspective, on a good day according, to Brass, some artists make on an average $10,000 to $15,000 per show.

That’s why another artist, Kelly O’Neal, says the pandemic motivated her to think outside the box and teach virtual courses to her counterparts on how to set up a website, and social media profile.

Meanwhile, online platforms worked like a charm as some artists including Joe Cilluffo tapped into the demand for remote workers to redesign their living space.

But now, as Michiganders move towards the new normal, the creative world is embracing the return of art fairs and is looking forward to starting a new chapter.