COVID Relief Bill to Restart the Arts and Culture Community

COVID Relief Bill to Restart the Arts and Culture Community 

The arts and cultural communities have partnered this Session to advocate for the passage of SF 2551 (Ruud)/HF 2637 (Lillie), the Cultural Community Rescue Restart Grant Program.

This bill will provide a one-time appropriation of $100,000,000 from the State’s remaining ARPA funds for grants to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations across the state that have suffered financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This critical funding will help support and re-employ thousands of individuals who work in the industry — not just the artists and performers, but others who support them, which include costume designers, exhibit builders, custodians, staff, and other workers.

This will also positively impact main street businesses in the communities and regions that are home to our arts and cultural organizations, as well as bring back arts and cultural opportunities for audiences, young people, and more.

We estimate that the bill will assist roughly 1,400 statewide nonprofit arts and cultural organizations that have suffered financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits found that arts organizations have suffered the “highest levels of disruption of the nonprofit sector” and that “67% expect recovery to be difficult.”