By Sharon Aron Baron
To raise attention to the plight of the live events industry’s survival, venues across the nation and Florida will light their exteriors in red as a call to action.
The Florida Professional Presenters Consortium, a statewide organization of over 60 performing arts venues, including the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in Coral Springs, is joining “Red Alert,” a nationwide effort to encourage Congress to provide relief for the live entertainment industry, which has been uniquely affected by the pandemic.
On Tuesday night, September 1, 2020, from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight, this nationwide call to action, implores US Congress to pass the RESTART Act (S. 3814/H.R. 7481) and the Save Our Stages Act (S. 4258/H.R. 7806) as quickly as possible.
“Performing arts venues are closed because we know that Covid-19 spreads within intimate, closed spaces, which of course perfectly describes a theatre or club. We were the first to close and will be the last to open. We’re happy to do it, but we are without income and need help,” said Bill Haggett, General Manager of the Center for the Arts.
The RESTART Act and the Save Our Stages Act offer economic relief to the live events industry, which has been shuttered since March 2020.
Red Alert also advocates for extending Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, to provide relief to those without work since March due to COVID- 19. Nationwide, 12 million show workers are estimated to be unemployed because of Covid-19, including designers, technicians, programmers, stagehands, etc.
Kevin Stone, President of Florida Presenters, said our culture that the music, dance, and theatre created and performed in each of our cities makes them unique and special places. We must make sure that survives. It’s also about jobs and the economy. The member venues of Florida Presenters alone create a total economic impact every year of $495 million, which supports the full-time equivalent of 15,425 jobs, $377.7 million of household income, $21.8 million of local government fees and taxes, and $26.1 million of state government fees and taxes.
Fans and the general public can help raise awareness and create pressure on Congress to act now in several ways. Visit saveourstages.com to send a letter to your US Senators and your US Representative. Use the hashtags #SAVEOURSTAGES and #RedAlertRESTART on social media. Light your own residence or business red in a show of solidarity, or use a red filter on a social media image.
These members of Florida Presenters are participating in #REDALERTRESTART:
Arts Garage, Delray Beach
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers
Big Arts, Sanibel
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale
Coral Springs Center for the Arts, Coral Springs, FL
Center for the Arts at River Ridge, New Port Richey, FL 34655
Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center/Palm Beach State College, Belle Glade, FL Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando
Florida Theatre, Jacksonville
King Center for the Performing Arts, Melbourne
Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College, Niceville
Old School Square Center For The Arts, Inc, Delray Beach
Opening Nights at Florida State University, Tallahassee
South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, Miami/Cutler Bay
Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa, FL
The Flagler Auditorium Performing Arts Center, Palm Coast, Florida
The Lyric Theatre, Stuart
The RP Funding Center, Lakeland, FL
University of Florida Performing Arts, Gainesville, Florida
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall-lighting marquee, Sarasota
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