Dear APAP Members and Colleagues,
First of all, I hope this finds you and yours well and safe.
As Congress continues to negotiate the fourth Coronavirus relief bill known as the HEROES Act, APAP along with its national arts service organization partners in the Cultural Advocacy Group,
issued the following statement
last Friday afternoon.
In response to federal government relief provided to date and to anticipated government investment in infrastructure, the statement includes
a number of Congressional asks
that address the unique needs of performing arts organizations and professionals and that you can use as talking points, including:
- Expand and recapitalize the Paycheck Protection Program resources.
- Fully fund the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and remove the $1,000/per employee cap.
- Provide streamlined, low-interest forgivable loans to assist microbusinesses.
- Provide loan forgiveness for nonprofits through the Main Street Lending Program and the Economic Stabilization Fund.
- Expand the duration of pandemic unemployment benefits and make eligible gig workers with mixed income.
- Expand access to health coverage and care.
- Approve substantial funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and other cultural agencies for dedicated COVID-19 relief.
- Enact policies to ensure rapid processing of artist visas.
- Support the arts and work of artists as essential infrastructure investments.
- Include the arts sector in consideration of public health and workplace safety policies.
- Ensure the arts are considered in business interruption insurance and liability policy discussions.
We are here for you. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
