New Asks for Policies to Support the Arts during COVID-19

April 17, 2020

As U.S. Congress and the Administration consider additional forms of COVID-19 relief, Chorus America and our advocacy partners have developed a new statement outlining policies to support the arts. So far, over 40 organizations have signed on in support of this statement. Please feel free to use the talking points included to help fuel your advocacy efforts with elected officials and make the case for arts support.

Read the full statement here:

A note about small business relief loans:

As reports come out that allocated funding for the Payment Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster program are running dry, we encourage members to continue to stay in contact with or continue to try to contact lenders. Congress is working to vote soon on more funding for these programs, but it is hard to know how soon those funds will be available. We are hearing that some lenders are telling people to wait until more funds are available, while others are advising to apply now so that they can hold the application.

Key asks in the new statement include:

  • Recapitalizing and expanding the programs in the CARES Act, which has been challenging arts organizations, arts-related businesses, and self-employed workers to access due to overwhelming demands and inadequate guidelines
  • Providing increased funding for the Payment Protection Program, including dedicated funding for nonprofits
  • Fully funding the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and eliminate the $1,000 per employee cap so that organizations with one or very few employees can access funds.
  • Expanding the charitable giving incentive by removing the $300 cap and allowing all taxpayers to claim the deduction on both 2019 and 2020 tax returns.
  • Approving substantial additional dedicated COVID-19 relief funding administered by the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services. This would allow the NEA to expand grant opportunties beyond organizations who have received grants in the past four fiscal years.
  • Enabling national non-profit organizations to subgrant federal arts funds to support community-based arts and culture organizations, agencies, and artists across the country in order to assist the NEA in providing quick and efficient support

Chorus America is involved in continuing advocacy efforts to secure better access and increased funds to directly address nonprofit needs. Please share feedback and questions with us at membership@chorusamerica.org to help shape our efforts.