Latest News in Guidance for Bow Owners, NEA Grants, Charitable Giving Policy, and More

June 2, 2023

In This Issue

League and International Partners Release “Know Your Bow” Pernambuco Guide

The League of American Orchestras, in partnership with the American Federation of Musicians, International Alliance of Violin and Bow Makers for Endangered Species, International Federation of Musicians, Pearle* Live Performance Europe, NAMM, and other international music sector partners has released Know Your Bow: Tips for Owners and Users of Pernambuco Bows. This online guide will be continuously updated and offers essential information following the most recent deliberations on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regarding the sustainability of the Brazilian wood used in most professional and advanced student bows for stringed instruments. While travel and trade with finished Pernambuco bows once outside of Brazil are not subject to CITES permit requirements, bow owners and users can use the guide to learn how to take important voluntary actions to support sustainable plantations of Pernambuco and conservation efforts, document basic facts about the wood used in their bows, and be informed consumers.

NEA Announces Second Round Grants for Arts Projects Recipients

Federal funding for the arts provides critical support for creative participation across the country, state resources, and national arts research. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has announced its second round of Grants for Arts Project awards for FY2023, including 47 grants to orchestras as well as numerous grants for related programs. In all, the NEA has awarded 114 grants to orchestras through both rounds of Grants for Arts Projects and the Challenge America categories in FY2023, totaling $2,536,500. The League has extracted and posted the listings of grants to orchestras and grants related to the orchestra field in each of these major categories. Full lists and descriptions of all supported projects are available via the NEA’s grant search tool.

Speak Up to Support the Charitable Act!

Orchestras can take action today to support increased charitable giving in communities nationwide! The League of American Orchestras has been a long-time advocate alongside the broader nonprofit community in support of a universal charitable deduction, which would substantially increase charitable giving while cultivating new generations of philanthropists and encouraging a tradition of giving among all taxpayers. Bipartisan bills introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate, The Charitable Act, would create a new incentive for giving among taxpayers that do not itemize their returns, making available an above-the-line federal tax deduction for charitable giving valued at up to one-third of the standard deduction for tax years 2023 and 2024. Orchestras and other nonprofit organizations saw increased giving through a similar non-itemizer deduction available during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two weeks ago, Reps. Blake Moore (R-UT), Danny Davis (D-IL), Chris Pappas (D-NH), and Michelle Steel (R-CA) introduced the Charitable Act – H.R. 3435, a companion measure to a Senate bill (S.566) that had been introduced in March by lead sponsors Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE). Please take a moment and contact your federally elected officials to thank them for their support or urge them to cosponsor this giving provision.

Shuttered Venue Grants Near Close-Out Phase

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grants program is getting ready to launch the close-out process, wrapping up essential COVID-19 relief to grantees, including support for more than 300 orchestras nationwide. The Small Business Administration (SBA) plans to begin issuing final action items for awards under $500,000 that do not have audit requirements, are not in monitoring, and have fully spent their award amount. For the remaining grantees, the SBA will begin close-out procedures in June using a staggered approach. For any grantee that is in the special monitoring phase, this process will move at a different pace. The SBA has released a new 10-minute video on the multiple steps involved in the close-out process. The League remains in dialogue with the SBA regarding all final steps of the grant process. Please contact advocacy@americanorchestras.org to share any questions or concerns.

New Ticketing Rules Proposed at Federal Level

Following several years of policy action at the state level, the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Congress are turning attention to proposals that would set new national rules regarding ticket fee transparency, dynamic pricing disclosures, holdback practices, and other policies for those that sell concert tickets on the both the primary and secondary sales markets. Multiple legislative proposals with a range of approaches to this topic are expected in the coming months and include the introduction of the Biden Administration’s wide-ranging “junk fee” policy proposal. The League, in partnership with the Performing Arts Alliance and the wider performing arts sector, is analyzing proposals for the impact on orchestras and will be keeping you informed of how to weigh in as next steps unfold.