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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