WHEREAS, The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is a group of over 3,000 independent venues in 50 states that have spent countless hours reaching out to their Congresspeople to enact the Save Our Stages legislation; and
WHEREAS, NIVA supports the Save Our Stages Act that calls for long term assistance for shuttered business, relief through tax credits, and support for the live event workers and artists in order to make arts a priority; and
WHEREAS, Through the Implementation Task Force assembled by NIVA, the process of distributing the are intended to be accurate, expedient, and equitable to those hit hardest during the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, The Arts and Culture communities in Philadelphia have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, In the times of economic hardships for the City, investing and supporting the arts typically yields a 7:1 return on investment that can financially assist several other industries like restaurant, nightlife, and hospitality; and
WHEREAS, The Arts and Culture Task Force (ACTF), composed of 15+ members from various arts and culture communities, have begun working to ensure that Philadelphia prioritizes the vibrant and rich cultural experiences that make Philadelphia unique; and
WHEREAS, One of the main priorities of the ACTF is to sustain, expand, and revitalize the Arts and Culture communities while prioritizing those typically left out of the funding and grant processes such as individual artists, small businesses, and Mid-Small nonprofit organizations; and
WHEREAS, Congress must ensure that the funds from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program (SVO), as a part of the COVID-19 relief package and Save Our Stages Act, are distributed equitably amongst all different arts sectors, creators, and business/nonprofit organizations; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby thank Congress for passing the Save Our Stages Act and urge the Small Business Administration to equitably promote and distribute the funds while continuing to support and invest in the arts and culture sector.
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