Miami-Dade Arts Sector Reports $22 Million+ in March Pandemic Losses

According to early estimates from an ongoing survey by the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural affairs cost the local arts community $22.9 million dollars and 1,700 jobs in March alone.

The 201 non-profit arts and cultural organizations surveyed report $5.7 million in revenue loss from venue closures, $14.8 million in revenue loss from event cancellations, and $2.3 million spent in COVID-1 related expenses.

The report stated, "With the closing of the cultural community, earned revenue associated with such sources as admissions, ticket sales, contracted services, and gifts shops and concessions sales stopped and donations have diminished significantly. In addition, before facilities closed and events were cancelled, organizations spent additional funds on such items as additional cleaning services, supplies and personnel."

Department director Michael Spring explained, "The financial and jobs impact documented by this data demonstrates the enormous and traumatic effect that this public health crisis is continuing to have on the operations of arts and cultural organizations and the lives of cultural workers. These somber results confirm the anecdotal evidence garnered through our conversations ... over the past few weeks. The department will be sharing the survey data with our local, state and national arts funder colleagues and partners."

The department is expected to begin accumulating April data next week.

Read the full story at Florida Theater On Stage.