Art in America and around the world has been plagued by the Coronavirus. Broadway has been dark for months with no real end in sight to the pandemic. Art shows, entertainment and the people who work with, around and behind the scenes to make it happen, have also taken a huge hit. Locally, the once vibrant arts scene in Central New York has also remained dark due to COVID-19.
CNY Arts, through support and funding from the Central New York Community Foundation and The Gifford Foundation worked with Research Marketing Strategies to conduct a survey to understand the impact COVID-19 had on CNY’s arts and entertainment sector.
In Onondaga County alone, the arts and cultural sector generates nearly $150 million in economic activity resulting in 6,000 full-time jobs and $14 million in local government revenue. Additionally, attendee spending is directly tied to attendance, and therefore, the arts and culture industry is a major economic engine for restaurants, stores, parking facilities, and other local businesses.
The potential actual financial loss will far exceed $15 million. This crisis is having such a severe impact on the livelihood of our artists and agencies that without support, many will be forced to close their doors by October when their cash reserves run out.
To learn more about the survey or to learn how you can help, visit CNYArts.org or CNYArts.org/COVID19ArtsImpactFund. You can also find them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
