The Shift to Digital as a Catalyst for Development: A Case Study of Freelance Musicians in Austria during COVID-19
Abstract
This paper focuses on the implications the shift to the digital, the most immediate consequence of the pandemic lockdowns, had for freelance musicians in Austria, a topic for which there is still limited literature. The paper identifies three impact areas of these implications, namely artistic conditions and mental health; media, technical and administration skills; and financial and legal rights. It argues that the pandemic acted as a disruptor that exacerbated hindrances and underlying issues that existed even before COVID, putting vulnerabilities and long-term malfunctions of the music sector in the spotlight, but also as an accelerator for much-needed change.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Diverse Musicological Studies
Diverse Music Education Insights
Cultural Industries and Urban Development
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The Journal of Arts Management Law and Society
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Pages
- 1–15
- Publication date
- 9 February 2026
- Language
- EN