Marin arts organizations get influx of pandemic aid

August 04, 2021

Twenty-nine arts organizations in Marin County will receive federal aid totaling more than $17 million to help them recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat whose district includes Marin, released a districtwide list of funding recipients Wednesday under the federal “Shuttered Venue Operators Grants” program. Huffman announced more than $35 million in grants throughout the district.

“We were thrilled,” said Lesley Currier, founder and managing director of the Marin Shakespeare Co., which received about $312,000. “That money is helping us keep our staff intact as we continue to navigate the ups and downs of COVID.”

The grants program was created by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, which was signed into law in December. Initially, $15 billion was appropriated for the program, but an additional $1.25 billion was added by the American Rescue Plan Act in March.

The program provides eligible applicants with grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, up to $10 million.

The grant program, overseen by the Small Business Administration, got off to a rocky start. When its application portal opened April 8, it crashed and didn’t reopen until three weeks later. It took until June for the first grants to be announced.

“Unfortunately, the program took a long time to get off the ground, but it seems like the Small Business Administration has got itself up to speed,” said David Corkill, who runs a group of movie theaters. “They’re getting to the point now where they’re taking care of the needs of all of the applicants. It’s good to see.”

Corkill’s Petaluma-based company is receiving more than $4.7 million through the program. The company includes the Fairfax Theatre.

Huffman joined a bipartisan group of more than 200 members of Congress in calling for the Small Business Administration to expedite the release of funds. The agency has now approved 9,844 grants, including 1,393 in California.

“The Small Business Administration’s move to improve and expedite the approval process for critical funding is welcome news,” Huffman said, “and I will continue working to ensure local businesses have the support they need to thrive as we rebuild from the pandemic.”

Tod Brody, executive director of the Marin Symphony, said he learned only about two weeks ago that his organization would be receiving about $116,000.

“They had a lot of troubles when the program first opened up,” Brody said. “We were just grateful that a program like this exists.”

“The performing arts have been hit especially hard by the pandemic,” Brody said. “Marin Symphony with significant help from programs like this is in a position where we will be able to make a successful comeback, but some of the smaller organizations are having a harder time finding a good path forward.”

Brody said Marin Symphony also received two Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling more than $500,000.

Marin County will receive more than $2.2 million for its arts programming through the grants program.

“The Marin Center lost millions of dollars worth of revenue over the past 15 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gabriella Calicchio, director of the county’s Department of Cultural Services. “Our entire campus and fairgrounds were utilized for pandemic response, including testing, vaccinations, alternate care facilities and more. This significant support from the shuttered venue operators grant will help us reopen our theaters, event spaces and fairgrounds for our sorely missed cultural, artistic and educational activities.”

Other grant recipients in Marin included EC Events in San Rafael, $1.6 million; the Marin Civic Ballet Association, $484,000; the Wash House Music Group in San Rafael, $762,000; Glitter Cinemas in San Rafael, $740,000; the California Film Institute, $534,000; Red Barn Productions in Novato, $1 million; the Woods Music Hall in Mill Valley, $1.5 million; the Lark Theater, $275,000; the Sausalito Art Festival Foundation, $725,500; the Mountain Play Association, $322,901; and Peri’s Tavern Inc. in Fairfax, $238,000.


By:  Richard Halstead
Source: Marin Independent Journal