Contact: Sara Scully, NJIVA Associate
Executive Director/Co-Founder, Hopewell Theater
C: (917) 991-4187
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2021
INDEPENDENT VENUES STILL WAITING FOR STATE PANDEMIC RELIEF
Relief funds passed for the NJ arts industry in April might not be seen by struggling venues until September.
Hopewell, NJ (May 27, 2021) - Since its founding in November 2020, New Jersey Independent Venue Association (NJIVA) has been working tirelessly to secure State relief funds for New Jersey’s independent live performance venues. They achieved a victory in April when the State allocated $15 million in federal CARES Act funds for grants to provide much needed financial relief for arts and culture live performance venues across New Jersey.
Despite this victory, these struggling venues - the first businesses to be closed and the last to open in the pandemic shutdown - might not see funds until September.
The Economic Development Authority (EDA), which is responsible for administering the funds, is still looking for guidance on eligibility criteria for the grant program. At the EDA’s request, NJIVA Associates delivered guidance to help streamline the CARES Act application process. Currently, the timeline for distributing the money is anywhere between July and September.
“Many venues will have a hard time reopening and staying open without federal and State-promised grant funds,” says Sara Scully, Executive Director, Hopewell Theater. “We appreciate the government’s support for our industry, as these funds are a lifeline for our treasured venues and will ensure we survive the shutdown.”
Venues across the country are also waiting for funds from the federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG). The application portal opened in early April, but went down immediately due to technical difficulties. It is now up and running, and the Small Business Administration (SBA) aims to begin announcing awards this week. Awards are expected to be released on a “first in, first out” basis by priority group.
The State relief bill passed in April allocates $15 million in federal CARES Act funds administered by the Economic Development Authority (EDA) for grants to live performance venues around NJ. The EDA will distribute $7.5 million of the funds to independent for-profit venues, and $7.5 million to The New Jersey State Council on the Arts for grants to nonprofit arts and culture entities.
This $15 million dollar funding was secured after NJIVA mobilized an advocacy campaign that first wrote a letter to the Governor signed by 13 venues and arts organizations. That letter requested $15 million dollars in relief funds for live independent performance venues from CARES Act funds. NJIVA also distributed a public petition asking for the same. The public petition was signed by over 800 New Jersey residents and delivered by NJIVA to the New Jersey Legislature and Governor’s Office.
NJIVA’s mission is to unify NJ’s diverse and proudly independent venue owners, operators, and presenters to foster mutual support and resource sharing, and advocate as a unified group for our shared priorities in order to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent venues, large and small.
Venues have played a crucial role in the development of NJ’s performing artists for over half a century by nurturing local, national, and international talent, and providing a platform for these artists to build their careers and develop.
NJ’s independent venues - both nonprofit and privately owned - provide thousands of jobs, as well as millions of dollars in salaries, revenues, charitable donations, and taxes. Therefore, it is critical to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of NJ independent venues.
Over twenty of NJ’s valued performing arts venues and presenters are Associates of NJIVA: 1867 Sanctuary Arts and Culture Center, AM Productions, Anchor Rock Club, ArtPride New Jersey Foundation, Bananas Comedy Club, Bergen Performing Arts Center, Bird and Betty's, Boardwalk Showroom, The Clubhouse of Toms River, Count Basie Center for the Arts, Crossroads, Debonair Music Hall, Hopewell Theater, Hunterdon Media Partnership, Ledge Entertainment LLC, Mayo Performing Arts Center, McCarter Theatre Center, The Newton Theatre, Outpost in the Burbs, Roy's Hall, State Theatre New Jersey, and Wellmont Theater.
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