BIG ARTS, a member of The Florida Professional Presenters Consortium, a statewide organization of over 60 performing arts venues, is joining “Red Alert,” a nationwide effort to encourage Congress to provide relief for the live entertainment industry, which has been uniquely affected by the pandemic.
On Tuesday night, September 1, 2020 from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight, BIG ARTS windows will shine through with red as part of a nationwide call to action, imploring the US Congress to pass the RESTART Act (S. 3814/H.R. 7481) and the Save Our Stages Act (S. 4258/H.R. 7806) as quickly as possible.
The RESTART Act and the Save Our Stages Act offer economic relief to the live events industry, which has been shuttered since March, 2020. Red Alert also advocates for extending Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, to provide relief to those without work since March due to COVID-19. Nationwide, 12 million show workers are estimated to be unemployed because of Covid-19, including designers, technicians, programmers, stagehands and others.
“Performing arts venues are closed because we know that Covid-19 spreads within intimate, closed spaces, which of course perfectly describes a theatre or club. BIG ARTS is happy to join our colleagues in urging help for the arts, artists and venues that contribute so much to our qualify of life across the country,” said Lee Ellen Harder, Executive Director.
Kevin Stone, President of Florida Presenters said, “Our culture, the music, dance and theatre created and performed in each of our cities, is what makes them unique and special places. We must make sure that survives. It’s also about jobs and the economy. The member venues of Florida Presenters alone create a total economic impact every year of $495 million, which supports the Full Time Equivalent of 15,425 jobs, $377.7 million of household income, $21.8 million of local government fees and taxes, and $26.1 million of state government fees and taxes.”
Fans and the general public can help raise awareness and create pressure on Congress to act now in several ways. Visit saveourstages.com to send a letter to your US Senators and your US Representative. Use the hashtags #SAVEOURSTAGES and #RedAlertRESTART on social media. Light your own residence or business red in a show of solidarity or use a red filter on a social media image.
The Florida Professional Presenters Consortium represents performing arts venues throughout the State of Florida, from Panama City to Key West, from the largest cultural institutions in the state to the smallest, most vital organizations in rural and underserved counties. The business of culture is a major component of Florida’s diverse economy, contributing a $1.4 billion impact to the state’s economy. The activities of the members of Florida Presenters contribute almost a half billion dollars to that impact.
BIG ARTS joins the following fellow Florida Presenters participating in #REDALERTRESTART:
Arts Garage, Delray Beach
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale
Center for the Arts at River Ridge, New Port Richey, FL 34655
Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center/Palm Beach State College, Belle Glade, FL
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando
Florida Theatre, Jacksonville
King Center for the Performing Arts, Melbourne
Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College, Niceville
Old School Square Center For The Arts, Inc, Delray Beach
Opening Nights at Florida State University, Tallahassee
South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, Miami/Cutler Bay
Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa, FL
The Flagler Auditorium Performing Arts Center, Palm Coast, Florida
The Lyric Theatre, Stuart
The RP Funding Center, Lakeland, FL
University of Florida Performing Arts, Gainesville, Florida
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota
ABOUT BIG ARTS
BIG ARTS, established in 1979, is a nonprofit organization devoted to providing quality artistic, cultural and educational experiences to Sanibel and Captiva residents and visitors. Visit www.BIGARTS.org to learn more about our upcoming 2021 Season, and don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
