Accessing Federal Relief

Over the past year, TCG has fought hard to ensure theatres and theatre workers are fully supported by all federal relief and recovery funds. Working with our coalition partners, we’ve helped secure the single largest federal investment in the arts since the Federal Theatre Project and WPA. TCG has fought to ensure that all members of our theatre ecology--from freelance workers to theatres of all budget sizes--have access to the recovery funds they need to thrive.

TCG also acknowledges that Black Theatres, Indigenous Theatres, and all Theatres of Color, or BITOC, have been hardest hit by the pandemic, and are in greatest need of support. We know that BITOC had a harder time accessing PPP and other forms of federal relief in 2020, and we want to make sure they are equitably served this time round. To that end, TCG is working with BITOC leaders on a BITOC-centered sessions to access these opportunities.

Additionally, TCG staff will be supporting peer-led technical assistance over the coming weeks through the Finance Directors Circle Group, an online professional affinity space for finance staff. This online community and listserv was a major resource during the last round of federal relief funds, and we encourage anyone interested to join by emailing Corinna Schulenburg.

Advocacy Updates&
Action Alerts

Accessing PPP, Save Our Stages and More

On Tuesday, January 19, 2021, from 3:00-4:30pm ET, TCG hosted a webinar for all theatres with a cross-sector group of arts leaders. Focused on the current PPP and SOS opportunities, as well as newly expanded Employee Retention Tax Credits (ERTC), we also looked ahead to additional advocacy opportunities with the new administration, this webinar featured remarks from: Teresa Eyring and Laurie Baskin, TCG; Nataki Garrett, Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Oskar Eustis, The Public Theater; Heather Noonan, League of American Orchestras: Tony Shivers, Dance/USA and Opera America, and representative from Arnold & Porter, a lobbying firm that worked closely on Save Our Stages.

SLIDES from Laurie Baskin, TCG

SLIDES from Tony Shivers, Dance/USA

SLIDES from Heather Noonan, League of American Orchestras

BITOC-Specific Federal Relief Info Sessions

TCG is offering dedicated support in navigating these opportunities to Black Theatres, Indigenous Theatres, and Theatres of Color (BITOC).We define BITOC as theatres founded by, for, about, with and near BIPOC communities. We hosted two info sessions on January 28th and January 29th, 2021. We'd like to thank Leslie Ishii, Artistic Director, Perseverance Theatre; Board President, CAATA; Jackie Taylor, Artistic Director, Black Ensemble Theater; Snehal Desai, Artistic Director, East West Players; Teresa Coleman Wash, Artistic Director, Bishop Arts Theatre; and Rafael Sánchez, Executive Artistic Director, Repertorio Español for their support in organizing and helping to frame these sessions.

Given that each session had a different set of speakers and questions asked, we are sharing both recordings with you. Both sessions also mentioned the benefit of peer-to-peer information sharing amongst BITOCS in particular. Because of this, TCG compiled a list of BITOCs who received the first round of PPP which you can find on slide #4 of the slide deck, HERE.

Need additional assistance with federal relief applications? Additional application support sessions for BITOCs will be announced in the coming weeks, so please stay tuned. Please email smhaber@tcg.org for general questions.

Accessing PPP for Freelance Theatremakers

On March 3rd, and March 8th 2021, TCG hosted a technical assistance session led by Andrea Nellis, TCG’s interim CFO, and Lucy Mallett of Arts FMS designed to help theatremakers who are self-employed, freelance, and/or those working as 1099 contractors access federal relief from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP).

Over the past year, TCG has fought hard to make sure that freelance theatremakers and other gig economy workers with mixed income sources (such as W-2s and 1099) receive full support from federal relief, rather than unfairly being limited to partial benefits. The Biden administration has recently altered the Paycheck Protection Program’s rules, increasing the amount sole proprietors are eligible to receive and imposing a 14-day freeze on loans to companies with 20 or more employees. This means the time is now to apply to this critical source of relief. Please learn more about TCG’s overall efforts to advocate and disseminate federal relief efforts here.

To view the slides from the sessions, please go here.

If you have additional questions about federal relief applications, you may email anellis@tcg.org with questions

RESOURCES