Windham Region Chamber of Commerce

arts

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CT OFFICE OF ARTS -APPLY TO HOST A PAID INTERN THIS SUMMER

The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) has launched its 2021 Arts Workforce Initiative (AWI) Program and is currently accepting Intents to Apply from organizations that would like to serve as an AWI Host Organization.

AWI is a paid apprenticeship program that gives Connecticut college students, emerging creatives, formerly incarcerated individuals and military veterans an opportunity to gain high-level professional work experience with not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations throughout the state.

A host organization must provide a hands-on and engaging learning opportunity that allows an individual to gain relevant skills and work experience in the arts.

Selected organizations will be granted $3,750 per apprentice to be used to pay an hourly rate of $15. Selected participants work 25 hours a week for 10 weeks for the host organization. Participants receive payment from the host organization where their apprenticeship will take place.

To be eligible, an organization must:

·     Be a not-for-profit Connecticut arts or cultural organization

·     Be able to provide a hands-on and engaging opportunity within the following categories: arts administration, arts presenting/curating, media arts, performing arts, visual arts, arts education, and literary arts

·     Be in alignment with and display an understanding of COA’s READI Framework

·     Be able to accommodate an intern between June 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021

·     Be committed to ensuring that the intern completes the required 250 hours

·     Be able to provide a dedicated work space or quality remote experience

·     Be able to pay the intern as a contractor. (A W-9 form is required)

Submit an Intent to Apply Today

Deadline to Apply: Friday, February 26, 2021

Important Information:

·     Selected host organizations will be required to submit a second and final official application. The final application will be available on March 5, 2021. The deadline to submit the official application is March 31, 2021.

·     Selected host organizations will be granted $3,750 and will pay the intern(s) at the rate of $15 per hour. The intern(s) will receive payment from the host organization.

·     Internship must begin after June 1, 2021 and must conclude before September 30, 2021.

·     Internship is for 25 hours per week for 10 weeks.

Questions:

Contact Brianna Régine Walston via email.

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SUPPORT THE ARTS, CULTURE & TOURISM INDUSTRIES-PLEASE HELP US

The Chamber supports funding for the Arts, Culture and Tourism industries.  These businesses are extremely important not only to our quality of life but also to our community economic sustainability and vitality, and they have taken the hardest hit during the pandemic.  House Bill 6119, “An Act Concerning Arts, Culture, and Tourism Funding” is proposed to….

H.B. 6119 Talking Points
Increasing the percentage of the hotel and lodging tax that supports the Tourism Fund from 10 to 25%: • Will help prevent further economic injury, address the impact of the shutdown, and accelerate recovery of not only the Arts sector, but all of Connecticut. The arts and culture sector is an economic driver for Connecticut and has been hit hard by the pandemic.
• Does not take funding away from another legislative priority because hotel and lodging tax revenue not currently allocated to the tourism fund goes to Connecticut’s general fund.
• Does not raise the hotel and lodging tax. It simply allocates a larger percentage of that tax revenue to the Tourism Fund.
Fixing the percentage of the Tourism Fund that is allocated to Tourism at 60% and Arts and Culture at 40% reflects how the fund is allocated now. It does not change how much funding is allocated to each.
Renaming the Tourism Fund to the Arts, Culture and Tourism fund more accurately describes its role in providing state funding to all three of these sectors.

The Commerce Committee will have a hearing on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 10:00 A.M. via Zoom. All testimony is due on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 by 3:00 P.M.  You can submit testimony via zoom at the hearing.  To testify in person first register HERE.  Registration will close Wed Feb 10 at 3:00 PM.  You can also testify by phone at 860-240-0380 or email written testimony in word or pdf format to cetestimony@cga.ct.gov.

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SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS GRANT

This grant will be made available thru the COVID Relief Grant approved in December.  The application and money will be administered by the SBA, Small Business Administration.  It is financial relief for Arts venues that have been shuttered due to COVID.  The program has not been worked out as of yet and will be open for application in the near future.  We will keep you posted.  Here is some information.

Program details

The Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Eligible applicants may qualify for SVO Grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.

For additional details, see our Shuttered Venue Operators Grants Frequently Asked Questions.

Who can apply

Eligible entities include:

  • Live venue operators or promoters
  • Theatrical producers
  • Live performing arts organization operators
  • Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria
  • Motion picture theater operators
  • Talent representatives, and
  • Each business entity owned by an eligible entity that also meets the eligibility requirements

Other requirements of note:

  • Must have been in operation as of February 29, 2020
  • Venue or promoter must not have received a PPP loan on or after December 27, 2020

Detailed information on eligibility requirements coming soon.

Amount of SVO Grant

Grant amount will be either:

  • For an eligible entity in operation on January 1, 2019, grants will be for an amount equal to 45% of their 2019 gross earned revenue OR $10 million, whichever is less.
  • For an eligible entity that began operation after January 1, 2019, grants will be for the average monthly gross revenue for each full month you were in operation during 2019 multiplied by six (6) OR $10 million, whichever is less.

How to apply

SBA is in the process of setting up the grant program and is not yet accepting applications. Those who have suffered the greatest economic loss will be the first applications processed under the following schedule:

Note: On January 20, 2021, SBA updated the proposed plan for issuing Shuttered Venue Operators Grants during the first and second priority periods. To clarify, priority awardees will not need to satisfy the small employer set-aside. During the first 59 days of opening the SVO Grants, SBA will reserve no less than $2 billion of program funding for grants to entities that have no more than 50 employees.

First Priority

1st 14 days of grant awards

Entities that suffered a 90% or greater revenue loss between April 2020 through December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Second Priority

Next 14 days of grant awards

Entities that suffered a 70% or greater revenue loss between April 2020 through December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Third Priority

Beginning 28 days after First & Second Priority Awards are made

Entities that suffered a 25% or greater revenue loss between one quarter of 2019 and the corresponding quarter of 2020.

Supplemental Funding

Available after First & Second Priority

Recipients of First and Second Priority round who suffered a 70% or greater revenue loss for the most recent calendar quarter (as of 04-01-21 or later)

Allowable use of funds

Funds may be used for specific expenses, which include:

  • Payroll costs
  • Rent payments
  • Utility payments
  • Scheduled mortgage payments (not including prepayment of principal)
  • Scheduled debt payments (not including prepayment of principal) on any indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business prior to 02-15-20)
  • Worker protection expenditures
  • Payments to independent contractors (not to exceed $100K in annual compensation per contractor)
  • Other ordinary and necessary business expenses, including maintenance costs
  • Administrative costs (incl. fees and licensing)
  • State and local taxes and fees
  • Operating leases in effect as of 02-15-20
  • Insurance payments
  • Advertising, production transportation, and capital expenditures related to producing a theatrical or live performing arts production. (May not be primary use of funds.)

Grantees may not use award funds to:

  • Buy real estate
  • Make payments on loans originated after 02-15-20
  • Make investments or loans
  • Make contributions or other payments to, or on behalf of, political parties, political committees, or candidates for election
  • Any other use prohibited by the Administrator

Grantee Recordkeeping

Grantees will be required to maintain documentation demonstrating their compliance with the eligibility and other requirements of the SVO Grant program. They must retain employment records for four years following their receipt of a grant and retain all other records for three years.

Application and additional guidelines will be posted when available.

For more information

For additional information, email SVOGrant@sba.gov. All emails regarding SVO Grants will be sent using an official government email address ending in @sba.gov.