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Help On The Way For Struggling Performing Arts Groups, Theatres

Ohio Theatre, June 2020
Jo Ingles
/
Statehouse News Bureau
Ohio Theatre, June 2020

The Columbus Museum of Art has announced it was laying off 39 employees and slashing their budget due to money lost during coronavirus. It’s the latest example of an arts organization that has suffered because of COVID-19. But there might be some help coming soon from the state for struggling performing arts theaters.

Gov. Mike DeWine says he realizes performing arts are hurting right now and he says the state wants to help theaters that have lost money due to coronavirus closures and restrictions.

“We can’t announce this yet but in the money we are setting aside, we hope to have money for theatres, performing arts theatres, in the state of Ohio. Look, it’s not going to put them back where they were or where they would have been but we will have money in there for that," DeWine says.

DeWine says he doesn’t think movie theaters will qualify for those funds but adds they might qualify for some other funding that’s being set aside to help Ohio businesses hurt by coronavirus. There's about $900 million dollars worth of federal coronavirus aid that could be put toward helping the arts and small businesses. 

Copyright 2020 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.