Sweet Sound Bites: RED ALERT: RESTART ACT #saveourstages

One month ago, on September 1st, venues in cities across the country were illuminated red to draw attention to the dire need to pass the RESART Act and the Save Our Stages Act.

Great American Music Hall in SF
photo by Nikki DeMartini

The live events industry was among the first to have businesses closed and events cancelled due to the pandemic and, unfortunately, due to social distancing, capacity limitations, and additional restrictions, the live event industry, will not recover in any meaningful way until well into next year at the earliest.

The live event industry is experiencing upwards of 90% revenue loss and will be closed well into 2021 due to safety concerns posed by large gatherings. Without support from Congress, 90% of the National Independent Venue Association 's independent venues across America say they will be forced to close their doors forever.

NINETY PERCENT.

The live entertainment industry is still in an emergency state, it is still a red alert.

- Live events employ millions of people across the country

- Live events is a $877-billion industry

- 95% of live events have been cancelled due to COVID-19

- 96% of companies have cut staff and/or wages

- 77% of people in the live events industry have lost 100% of their income, including 97% of 1099 workers.

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in SF
photo by Nikki DeMartini

This doesn't only include concerts and music festivals. It includes and is not limited to:

- Broadway shows

- shows off of Broadway

- comedy shows/stand up comedy

- Circus Soleil

- The Ballet

- The Opera

- The Symphony

- conferences

- businesses such as restaurants, bars, ride-share companies/drivers and hotels that experience an influx of customers/business when events take place.

Bimbo's 365 Club in SF
photo by Nikki DeMartini

The Regency Ballroom in SF
photo by Nikki DeMartini

These venues closing permanently would also impact the entire music economy and ecosystem in America – artists, talent agents, stagehands, security, catering, artist managers, tour bus industry, production, radio/social media/tv/print advertising, record companies, and many, many others.

The Warfield in SF
photo by Nikki DeMartini

There is still time to reach out to congress and urge them to pass the RESTART Act, the updated HEROES Act that now includes the Save Our Stages Act.

This is the final push...there won’t be another opportunity.

We NEED the #RestartAct and the #HeroesAct/#SaveOurStagesAct passed in order to keep independent venues nationwide from closing permanently.

It's not just about saving the music and the arts.

It's not just about saving jobs and livelihoods.

It's about saving culture.

Sending an email to Congress members from your state is really easy and you do not have to work in the live events industry to do it!

Follow the links below, enter some basic information (who you are and where you live), then an email will be generated and you hit send and you're done.