Federal Economic Stimulus Relief Funds Provide Encouraging Support To The Nation’s Community-based Arts And Culture Organizations Experiencing $3.6 Billion In Devastating Losses

Originally published Friday, March 27, 2020, Americans for the Arts

The $2 trillion emergency stimulus package that Congress passed this week includes $300 million in economic relief to support nonprofit cultural organizations, museums, libraries, public broadcasting, and state and local arts and humanities agencies, as well as substantial additional economic relief opportunities for independent contractors like "gig economy" workers such as actors, musicians, and artists and nonprofit organizations and small businesses, including those working in the creative economy. Thousands of museums, performing arts centers, dance companies, theaters, writing programs, historical sites, libraries, and arts schools have had to close their venues and cancel performances, exhibitions, festivals, events, and entire seasons as a result of the pandemic. This has caused the loss of thousands of jobs and these cultural organizations are at severe financial risk.