Durham’s arts and cultural sector came to a grinding halt in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Revenue losses for arts and cultural organizations and artists after 18 months exceed $20.5 million. A recent report by the Center for Civil Society Studies indicates that the Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation nonprofit sector is expected to take nearly 2.5 years to recover from the pandemic.
The arts and cultural sector of Durham is a key economic driver and partner in making Durham a vibrant, successful community that attracts and supports a diverse and talented workforce. Pre-pandemic, Durham’s non-profit arts and cultural sector contributed $154.2 million annually to Durham’s economy, supported 5,722 FTE jobs, and provided 2.8 million arts/cultural experiences each year.[1]
We are now asking the City and County of Durham to support the arts and cultural sector with $3 million in American Rescue Plan funding. This is 2.6% of the total ARP funding that the City and County are receiving. Durham Arts Council will regrant these funds to support arts and cultural organizations and artists to emerge and recover from the Covid-19 Pandemic. Since the pandemic began, Durham Arts Council has already raised and regranted over $820,000 to 78 arts organizations and arts businesses, and 140 individual artists. The funds DAC has raised and regranted so far came from individual and corporate donors, foundations, federal and state funders. Now we are asking for the additional support from the City and County through the ARP federal funding they are receiving. We are committed to ensuring equity with over 50% of funding granted to organizations and artists of color.
Durham has more than 75 non-profit arts and cultural organizations, over 4,400 working artists & creative sector professionals, and dozens of for-profit arts and cultural businesses and venues – ALL DRASTICALLY IMPACTED AND FINANCIALLY DEVASTATED FROM 18 MONTHS OF PANDEMIC CLOSURES.
Please support and endorse this ARP proposal from Durham Arts Council to the City and County of Durham!
Read the Proposal: ARP Executive Summary and Full ARP Proposal
Send an email to City and County Elected Officials:
American Rescue Plan arp@durhamnc.gov
[1] Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 – Americans for the Arts – local study commissioned by Durham Arts Council- published 2017 releasehttps://durhamarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/NC_DurhamCounty_AEP5_CustomizedReport.pdf