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The preface sets the context for the Pandemic and Beyond series and outlines how it is shaped by and sits within the research and funding landscape for arts and humanities during the pandemic. The series arises from a research co-ordination project funded by the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and brought together over 70 solutions-focused research projects that addressed the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic between 2020 and 2022. The preface reflects on the unique conditions that shaped this body of research and the methodologies employed, and on the importance of arts and humanities research in addressing the human impacts that intersected in this moment, working to resolve them, mitigate harms, and examine some of the most fundamental human questions across macro and micro crisis contexts. It argues that the series exemplifies the creation of a ‘pandemic humanities’ that demonstrates how arts and humanities are a vital tool in responding to and preparing for complex crises.