Small Arts Organizations Quickly Adapt to Survive
Arts non-profits are bringing performances online to overcome shutdowns.
Theaters are dark, concert halls silent, and bookings for performers and stage crews canceled. The same shutdown that’s endangering small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening small arts organizations.
Unlike large national arts groups, which are tapping their affiliations with famous stars and rosters of wealthy donors to survive the pandemic, local and regional groups have few resources to keep them afloat. Most operate on razor-thin margins in good times and now have little or no cash and have laid off staff. Americans for the Arts estimates that arts organizations have already lost about $5 billion in revenues from ticket, membership, and gift shop sales and contributions, based on a survey it conducted in April.