The Show Must Go On: Livestreaming Intangible Cultural Heritage in China during Covid-19

Since the beginning of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has transformed everyday life around the globe into a 'new normal', with lockdowns, travel restrictions and the cancellation of mass gatherings. Stay-at-home orders have dramatically changed the way people live and work, with a particularly significant impact on cultural practitioners and folk artisans. The banning of large-scale festive events and closing of public spaces have caused many cultural performers and artisans to lose vital sources of income. Yet Chinese arts practitioners have been able to adapt to the pandemic's economic challenges relatively quickly and easily, using short videos and livestreams to promote their art and sell cultural products.