Urge Support for the Arts During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund are standing up for the arts in America during COVID-19!
SIGN THE PETITION
Current Status:
With the CARES Act running out of funding (for a second time), Congress has begun consideration of another relief package that is expected to be debated through June.
On May 15th, the House approved the "HEROES Act" - a Democratic-led $3 trillion bill that would provide additional, and new, funding across the federal government, including, limited support for the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
Americans for the Arts, and 70 other arts organizations have signed a joint statement outlining the a set of policy asks.
Current Ask:
Request your members of Congress include substantial additional dedicated COVID-19 relief funding—to be administered by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and Institute of Museum and Library Services—to help offset the losses of the nonprofit arts industry.
The HEROES Act includes the following provisions that Americans for the Arts would also like to see advanced by the Senate:
$875 billion in funding to state and local governments to offset the revenue shortfalls in their budgets in order to retain employees and programs.
$90 billion for grants to States to support statewide and local funding for elementary and secondary schools.
Extension of weekly $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation for W2 and Self-employed workers from July 31, 2020 to January 31, 2021.
Changes to Payroll Protection Program (PPP), repealing the 75% payroll/25% overhead requirement for forgiveness and setting up a dedicated fund for nonprofit organization PPP loans with existing funds.
$10 billion added to the SBA's Emergency Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
$10 million added each to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and $5 million to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). We'd like to see 10 times this amount.
$5 billion added to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
Federal Reserve's Main Street Lending Program would now include specific eligibility to nonprofit organizations for low cost loans. Those nonprofits ineligible for PPP can access these Main Street Loans forgiven.
Those nonprofits who are Unemployment Self-Insured Employers would no longer have to pay 100% of the unemployment compensation and wait for 50% CARES Act reimbursement. States would instead be instructed to only collect half of the unemployment compensation payment.
Background:
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the CARES Act. The CARES Act included $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, artists, and nonprofit organizations and small businesses, including those working in the creative economy. This was a good first step, but the arts sector faces economic losses to date of $4.5 billion (and growing).
As of May 15, 2020, the coronavirus has had a devastating economic impact on America’s nonprofit arts sector—financial losses to date are estimated to be $4.98 billion, to date. They have also lost 208 million admissions due to canceled events, resulting in a $6.6 billion loss in event-related spending by audiences (restaurants, lodging, retail). The economic impact is $1.9 billion in lost government revenue and 328,000 jobs no longer being supported.
Arts Action Center
Sign the Petition