“We are pleased to see that steps are being made to reopen Broadway in September and that thousands of workers – actors, technical crews, ushers, box office staff, and others – will be able to return to their jobs after a difficult 18 months. The reopening of Broadway is a win for not only the arts, but also a critical accelerator to kick start the city’s economy. Broadway supports nearly 97,000 local workers and contributes about $14.8 billion every year to the New York City economy*.
However, there are countless local theatre programs and arts organizations across the country that have not received the same support as Broadway, and many of them are still in danger of closing permanently, if they haven’t already. An investment in the arts at a federal level is needed to help the industry recover and thrive. We call on the Biden administration and Congress to enact a $1 billion annual appropriation for the NEA, with a minimum 5% increase each year to bring its budget more in line with the economic value of the industry, and to install a Secretary of Arts & Culture to guide the sector’s economic potential moving forward. The arts are the epicenter that also drive local hospitality and dining, retail, transportation, and more, in every single state and every single town. The arts also allow communities, in all their diversity, to express themselves and celebrate their rich interconnected histories and traditions. If the arts thrive, the country thrives.”
Charles Segars
Chief Executive Officer, Ovation TV
Founder, Stand For The Arts
*The Broadway League