FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 28, 2021
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVES
$5 MILLION IN RELIEF FOR OC ARTS COMMUNITY
Allocates $1M per District from American Rescue Plan Act Federal Funding
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA –– Yesterday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved $5 million in relief to arts-related businesses and nonprofit arts organizations from its federal American Rescue Plan Act funding. Each of the five supervisorial districts will receive $1 million and will devise and manage their own distribution plan for these grants.
Last week, the Supervisors were sent the results of ArtsOC's latest survey of the impact of COVID-19 on the arts community, which documented financial losses of more than $121 million and over 2,700 in job reductions. ArtsOC President & CEO Richard Stein also appeared at yesterday's Board of Supervisors meeting to speak in favor of the proposed action item on their agenda.
“We are deeply grateful to the Orange County Board of Supervisors for recognizing the need and responding quickly to make these funds available,” Stein commented after their action. "Arts organizations were the first businesses to close and will be the last to re-open due to their social gathering nature. Most do not expect to return fully to pre-COVID levels until July 2022. These funds will contribute greatly to their resilience during these difficult times. Orange County's creative sector employs 90,000 people and generates $1 Billion in local and state tax revenue. The arts community helps train and supply the workforce that drives Orange County's innovation economy. More than that, local arts and culture organizations contribute greatly to the health and well-being of OC residents, schoolchildren, and military veterans--especially during the stresses of the COVID-19 quarantine. Investing these relief funds in arts-related businesses and nonprofit arts organizations will be repaid many times over."
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Read today's Orange County Register article about this news here.
Read today's Los Angeles Times article about this news here.
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Arts Orange County’s mission is to be the leader in building appreciation of, participation in and support for the arts and arts education in Orange County, California. A nonprofit organization incorporated in 1995, it is designated by the Board of Supervisors as the official local arts agency and State-Local Partner for the County of Orange. More information: https://artsoc.org/
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Download ArtsOC's April 21, 2021 media release about its survey here.
View ArtsOC's December 7, 2020 COVID-19 Response Report here.
