Arts and humanities research in the Covid-19 pandemic: how priorities have shifted

From ethics in healthcare policy, to the architecture of home-based working, to supporting the live music industry, arts and humanities research has made a big contribution to meeting policy challenges posed by the pandemic. One year on from the start of the pandemic, the Institute for Government, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), was delighted to bring together a panel of researchers from across the arts and humanities to discuss the ways in which Covid-19 has changed their work and shifted their priorities. Arts and humanities research is at the forefront of efforts to understand the longer term social, cultural, and economic effects of the pandemic, as well as helping to shape a range of immediate policy responses. On our panel to discuss these issues were: Dr Adam Behr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary and Popular Music at Newcastle University Dr Rebecca Brown, Career Development Fellow at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and Research Associate, Wadham College, University of Oxford Dr Frances Holliss, Emeritus Reader in Architecture at London Metropolitan University Dr Sabrina Germain, Senior Lecturer in Law at City, University of London. The event was chaired by Dr Alice Lilly, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We are grateful for the support of AHRC in staging this event.