Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Organizational Movement of Theater Workers: A Case of Istanbul

The COVID-19 outbreak that emerged in China in late 2019 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, causing havoc on national and global scales. Its impact on culture and the arts has been profound, resulting in devastating consequences for the sector. Recognizing this, a cooperation protocol titled “The Effects of the Global Pandemic on Istanbul Cultural Life” was established in 2021 through a partnership between Istanbul University and the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. The primary objectives of this protocol were to assess the pandemic’s effects on Istanbul’s cultural and artistic scene, propose relevant solutions, and disseminate findings to the public through a comprehensive report. The protocol included eight distinct fields: cinema, theater, music, publishing, librarianship, museology, exhibition, and festivals. This study focuses on the impact of the pandemic on theater professionals. Throughout the pandemic, theater workers banded together, fostering a spirit of organization and solidarity. This collaborative environment provided artists with opportunities to collaborate, offer mutual support, and establish solidarity funds. In theater, the term “ensemble” denotes a group of actors who unite to produce a play. Each member of the ensemble brings their unique talents and skills to the performance, fostering a collaborative atmosphere in which they support one another, ultimately resulting in a seamless production. The concept of ensemble is foundational in theater as it not only promotes cooperation and support among actors but also encourages group innovation. We contend that the instances of cooperation and unionization witnessed in the theater industry during the COVID-19 pandemic exemplify the essence of the ensemble in the theater. In the study designed using the qualitative research method, an in-depth interview technique was used as a data collection tool. A total of 18 individuals, nine women, and nine men, working in the theater industry were interviewed. The data obtained from these interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the MAXQDA Qualitative Data Analysis Program.