We might be well into autumn but we’re still taking turns about
the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition – available both through
their website and, in a slightly more exciting format, on WeTransfer. Stumped for inspiration? Try The Whitworth at Home, take a peek at Kettle Yard‘s
Linderism exhibition and lose yourself among the bustles and
petticoats of the Leeds City Museum’s
expertly digitalised exhibition on the birth of fast fashion.
Clicking through a virtual walk-through might feel a little
pointless, but these institutions rely on high visitor turnout,
whether physical or digital, to stay afloat.

There are few pastimes more therapeutic than getting your hands
dirty with a new craft project. It’s a crying shame that in-person
workshops have been cancelled, but we’re still getting our fix
online. Earl of East, purveyors of London’s finest scented candles,
has shifted its candle-making classes online and pottery studio
Kana London will be streaming its workshops
throughout November, with participants able to fire their creations
in the kiln at a later date. In both cases, you’ll craft your own
lovingly handmade gift. To get involved, you’ll simply need to
order some basic supplies from the respective websites.

When the pandemic first reached London way back in March,
Dalston’s Arcola Theatre acted fast. In no time, it launched a plan
to build an outdoor theatre that would be Covid-compliant and would
allow performances to continue despite distancing measures. It’s
not quite there yet. If you’re based in London and in a position to
do so, consider donating to its fundraiser. And once you’ve
done so, why not spice up the long evenings that lie ahead by
livestreaming performances from the Bristol Old
Vic, Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre or the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.

If you were a real deft hand pre-lockdown but stopped sketching
the second that distancing restrictions came into place, why not
sign up to an online life-drawing class? There are countless
classes available whatever your ability and no matter your
location. We’re tuning into classes with Bare
and London Drawing, two budding community-led initiatives.
Besides being a fantastic way to support local creatives (both of
these enterprises are overseen by London-based artists), the
practice is also incredibly calming – not to mention a welcome
distraction from that substandard Netflix series you can’t stop
watching.

Did you know that freelancers make up 71 per cent of the UK’s
theatre workforce? Help precarious theatre professionals in need by
donating to one of these charities. Buy your Christmas gifts from
Alofts – every item is made by hugely talented,
out-of-work theatre professionals in the UK. You could also pick up
a copy of Intermission, a pair of books featuring meditations
from some of the UK’s most renowned actors and directors on what
happens when the stage falls silent – be that mid-speech, during an
interval, or a pandemic (how novel). All proceeds from sales will
go to Acting for Others, which provides financial and emotional
support to theatre workers in times of need. Alternatively, check
out Freelancers Make Theatre Work, Theatre Support
Fund and the Fleabag Support Fund.

While many visual artists can comfortably (and compliantly) work
alone in a studio, tattoo artists have been hit hard by the social
distancing restrictions. Rum brand, Sailor
Jerry, has launched a campaign aimed at uplifting tattoo
artists and studios. Every week, they’re spotlighting a
little-known tattooist and giving them $1,000 (£780) to help
shoulder the burden of the pandemic. Know someone in need of a
little boost? Slip into Sailor Jerry’s DMs or drop the
#SupportYourArtist hashtag beneath one of its posts to nominate
them for the weekly prize draw.

Spotify? We’re not mad about it. Instead, we’re tuning into
Bandcamp, an
online platform where you can buy albums and merch from
independent, unsigned musical artists. On the first Friday of every
month, Bandcamp is waiving its portion of revenue so that artists
get paid the full whack. They’ve been doing it for the past few
months and have just announced that they’ll continue to do so for
the near future. Mark the dates in your diary and compile a
wishlist ahead of time. Refer to this page if you’re struggling to get
your head around transatlantic time zones.

While all of the above are quite top-line suggestions, to really
make a difference on a grassroots level, we suggest seeking out
nearby creative hubs and signing up to their newsletters so you can
be kept abreast of local goings-on. We’re fully committed followers
of the Made by Tottenham newsletter and would encourage
fellow Londoners to join us.