Speak up in July as Congress takes action on COVID-19 relief!

July 7, 2020

Throughout July, House and Senate negotiators will shape a new approach to the expiring Paycheck Protection Program and pandemic unemployment benefits, and will consider enhanced charitable giving incentives, dedicated stimulus funding, and other policies to support workers, employers, and communities. As Congress increasingly considers targeted approaches to the next COVID-19 policy package, it is essential that orchestras join other arts and nonprofit stakeholders to seek full eligibility for relief.

Please take the following actions, and be prepared for ongoing advocacy in the weeks ahead: 

1. View the League’s one-stop Arts & COVID-19 policy campaign, including key policy requests shaped in partnership with the broader arts sector and national nonprofit partners. We have a template email to your policymakers that can be customized and sent within minutes.
2. Know your issues. Forgivable loans, renewed pandemic unemployment benefits, and charitable giving incentives are just a few of the topics on the table. Education funding, broadband access, and policies that support workplace and public health will all influence the capacity of orchestras to meet their mission. Personalized messages matter to policy leaders and are sometimes the only ones that staff will read, so consider which issues resonate most, focus in on them, and tell your story.
3. Partner up and engage locally. Your local partners in the arts (PDF) and nonprofit (PDF) sectors are carrying these same requests to Congress, so consider partnering with them to reach out to Congressional offices. And, just last week, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution echoing the request for arts COVID-19 relief. Consider how your orchestra can partner with others at the state and local level to increase your advocacy impact.
4. Share, and stay tuned. Let the League’s Washington, D.C. office know when you’ve heard a response from your members of Congress. The League is directly engaged in dialogue with key Congressional offices and will be closely monitoring policy proposals under consideration as they evolve. You’ll be hearing from us with increasing frequency as negotiations progress.

Your ongoing advocacy will make a difference. Please continue to consult the League’s COVID-19 federal assistance resource page for information about current federal relief opportunities.