WASHINGTON — Live entertainment venues say they’ll need help from congress to reopen once the pandemic is beaten.
The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing Tuesday on the impact of COVID-19 on the live entertainment industry.
Industry representatives urged lawmakers on Capitol Hill to get them coronavirus relief funds as soon as possible, or the music and theater venues that were ordered to shut down at the start of the pandemic may not survive.
“Live entertainment jobs disappeared overnight...Jobs that will not return until we conquer this virus,” said Ron Laffitte of Patriot Management, which represents dozens of artists.
Industry leaders say relief funds are needed in the next round of aid to help support both large and small venues, as well as supporting staff like lighting crews, ticket agents, and transportation.
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Unlike restaurants or airlines- which can operate at reduced capacity- industry representatives say the entertainment world is largely all or nothing.
“We need your help to ensure that our venues and our industry will survive this pandemic, so that the voices of our great creative American community will have the platform for which to sing to us, to challenge and inspire us to be our best selves,” said David Fay of the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.
Small venue owners also testified before congress, saying the funds from the CARES Act that helped some businesses have run out.
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“Please, don’t let the music die,” one venue owner said. “Please save our stages.”
Friday is the last day congress is scheduled to be in session before the holidays, so they have until the end of the week to pass another stimulus package.