The city of Dallas will spend $1 million federal dollars before the year ends to get arts venues ready for patrons during COVID-19.
At Wednesday’s virtual Dallas city council briefing, the city's Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Reich shared what she called dramatic effects of the pandemic on the city’s arts community.
The Brooking’s Institution, she said, found the performing arts sector could lose half its jobs and a quarter of its revenue. The South has been the hardest hit region, and Texas the third worst overall.
“In Dallas there was a survey through May 31, 2020, of 57 organizations indicating there may be $33 million of loss and 650 jobs roughly,” Reich said. “What we’ve seen since then of course, is the arts world pivoting to the virtual realm, to private funders. My child was in a performance this weekend — it was entirely virtual.”
Reich said the pandemic has been disastrous for the arts community, but there’s help coming. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security or CARES Act, will fund filters, screens and other items for city-owned arts venues, like the Moody Performance Hall. The money will help keep the public safe from COVID-19 as these venues reopen to the public.
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