Venues were the first businesses to close in March and will be the last to open. Venues do not qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program, so stages all over the coutnry have gone dark, leading to furloughs, layoffs, and a ripple effect on the local economy.
Currently, there are two bills being considered on a federal level for assistance:
The Save Our Stages Act, which would authorize the Small Business Administration to make grants to eligible live venue operators, producers, promoters, or talent representatives to address the economic effects of the COVID-19.
The RESTART Act extends protections from the Paycheck Protection Program.
The National Independent Venue Association has set up a form for you to contact your representative to show support for these programs. Tell Congress and Senate not to leave arts venues behind in recovery:
Please help make sure we can welcome you back inside the Midway!