Coronavirus cancellations and shutdowns have cost Massachusetts artists and cultural organizations at least $58.59 million so far, the Massachusetts Cultural Council reports.

The state arts agency’s report is based on responses from 566 cultural nonprofits and 595 individual artists/independent teaching artists-humanists-scientists to an online survey from March 16 to 22, 2020.

“In just under a week,” the Mass Cultural Council reported, “our individual artists and independent teaching artists-humanists-scientists reported a total of more than $2.89M in lost personal income. … The Commonwealth’s nonprofit cultural organizations reported a loss of more than $55.7M in revenue. This is not a projection; this is actual lost income reported to date.”

According to the Mass Cultural Council, artists averaged $5,000 in lost income—the median income came in at $3,000. So far. Fifty-five percent of artists who responded said that arts/culture income makes up 75 to 100 of their total income.

The arts agency reported that cultural nonprofits lost, on average, $133,368 per organization. Eighty-eight percent reported cancelling programs and events—for a total of 14,978 cancellations. Fifty-eight percent of organizations plan to lay off, furlough or reduce hours for staff. At least, 8,221 jobs will be impacted, and “artists will be the hardest hit.”


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Effects of coronavirus on the Massachusetts arts and cultural sector, according to the Mass Cultural Council, March 24, 2020.
Effects of coronavirus on the Massachusetts arts and cultural sector, according to the Mass Cultural Council, March 24, 2020.
Categories: Art