The arts and artists were economically devastated by the pandemic, losing an estimated 15 billion dollars and nearly two-thirds of its workers since the start of the pandemic.
Fortunately, there is a new bipartisan effort to put artists back to work. The Creative Economy Revitalization Act (CERA) was modeled after the Work Progress Administration which helped create work after the depression by funding public art efforts.
CERA would put $300 million back into the economy through arts grants for art and cultural organizations to create public projects.
The legislation was introduced to the House by Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and Jay Obernolte of California Senator and brought to the Senate by Ben Ray Luján, also of New Mexico in late August. CERA has the support of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and it is endorsed by more than 175 arts organizations.
There are regional efforts as well. Chicago launched its own $60 million arts recovery program and this spring New York Mayor de Blasio funded a $25 million economic recovery initiative that would see the city commission 1,500 artists to create public artworks.
Long Live the Arts!
Boston Arts Scene Shows Some Resiliance
The current crisis has had devastating impacts on #Bostonartsscene. and many others nationwide. According to a recent study commissioned by the #BostonMayor’sOffice the crisis has also exacerbated existing fault lines between various communities. However, there are a few notable bright spots that #The Boston Foundation recently highlighted- four new arts spaces in development with new and underserved audiences in mind.
💢 #TheRecordCo a community music workspace that provides low-cost access for community members to rehearsal, writing, and recording studios, meeting, training, and performance spaces.
💢 #TheTheaterOffensive’s Black Box Theater, Boylston, designed with a campy modern aesthetic, will be the largest theater in the world owned and operated by LGBTQ people of color for all LGBTQ people, their allies, families, and friends.
💢 #GrubStreet’s first permanent home in the Seaport District will be a home for its renowned literacy and storytelling programs and a showcase of emerging talent, artists too often unheard, and bring well-known thinkers from around the globe.
💢 #RevolvingTestKitchen is turning a failed retail space in Lawrence, Massachusetts into a food and culture incubator for entrepreneurial efforts in the region.
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For more information on these organizations and their arts new development projects see the following links: https://www.therecordco.org/about/space/ https://thetheateroffensive.org/blackboxtheater https://grubstreet.org/about/grubstreets-new-home/ https://www.lawrencepartnership.org/rtk