California Arts Council Releases Results of COVID-19 California Arts & Culture Sector Early Impact Survey

 

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Arts Council has released the results of its preliminary survey of California’s creative sector on the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to the state’s arts and cultural economy. The sector was identified among the top five industries experiencing the most direct and immediate economic threats due to the pandemic by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, according to the New York Times.

The survey was issued to individual artists and arts organizations on March 12, 2020, to gather early data on the impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Three thousand forty-nine submissions were received prior to the closing of the survey on March 26, 2020.

Data from the summarized survey responses include the following:

  • Organizations estimated an average revenue loss of $193,642 each
  • Individuals estimated an average personal income loss of $23,857 each
  • 66 percent of organizations have had to cancel events that cannot be rescheduled
  • 85 percent of individual artists and cultural workers have had work have had work cancelled such as gigs/appearances/shows

Click here for the summary of survey data.

The California Arts Council has created a COVID-19 resource page, including the latest updates from the agency, emergency funding opportunities, emergency preparedness best practices, and webinars featuring arts leaders and artists from the national arts community.

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The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. It supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, initiatives, and services. The California Arts Council envisions a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts.

Members of the California Arts Council include: Chair Nashormeh Lindo, Vice Chair Jaime Galli, Larry Baza, Lilia Gonzales Chavez, Jodie Evans, Kathleen Gallegos, Stanlee Gatti, Donn K. Harris, Alex Israel, Consuelo Montoya, and Jonathan Moscone. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.

The California Arts Council is committed to increasing the accessibility of its online content. For language and accessibility assistance, visit http://arts.ca.gov/aboutus/language.php.

Arts Council Staff
editor@arts.ca.gov

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