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Syracuse Performance Venues Still Waiting on Relief Money Syracuse Performance Venues Still Waiting on Relief Money

By Adam Klepp

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© 2021 Adam Klepp

IN DECEMBER CONGRESS PASSED THE SAVE OUR STAGES ACT WHICH ALLOCATED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF RELIEF MONEY TO SMALL INDEPENDENT THEATER VENUES.

DESPITE THE BILL BEING PASSED OVER 6 MONTHS AGO VENUES IN SYRACUSE STILL HAVEN’T SEEN ANY OF THAT MONEY AND ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY AFLOAT.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE REDHOUSE ARTS CENTER SAMARA HANNAH SAYS THEY HAVEN’T SOLD A TICKET IN OVER A YEAR.

“More than a year, since we sold a ticket something here and have an audience in place, we gave a lot of refunds, and with more than 70 percent of the revenue being copletely turned off theres a limited number of things that we have to continue to do to remain viable and operational, so it’s been a huge struggle for us,

THE REDHOUSE ISN’T THE ONLY VENUE IN SYRACUSE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE.

OWNER OF WESTCOTT THEATER DAN MASTRONARDI SAYS THAT HE APPLIED FOR THE GRANT AND STILL HAVENT HEARD ANYTHING.

JULIE LEON FROM THE 443 CLUB SAID THEY WERE APPROVED FOR MONEY 11 DAYS AGO, BUT STILL HAVEN’T SEEN THE MONEY.

HANNAH SAYS IT’S VERY HARD FOR VENUES TO RE-OPEN BECAUSE OF THE UP-FRONT COSTS INVOLVED IN PUTTING ON A SHOW.

“As far as the venue goes, we can only re open for performances. The problem is we cant afford to put a performance on right now. Typically a production at Redhouse costs 75 or 80 thousand dollars, and we’ve had no revenue for more than a year in that area. so its a little more complicated than that, and that’s where the stimulus packages are so important for us.”

MOST VENUES ARE HOPEFUL THE RELIEF MONEY WILL ARRIVE IN JULY, BUT EVERY DAY COUNTS AS MOST HAVE BEEN WITHOUT REVENUE FOR OVER A YEAR.
ADAM KLEPP, NCC NEWS

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – In December, Congress passed the Save Our Stages Act which set aside over $10 billion for small independent theater and music venues.

However, most that have applied for the relief say they haven’t gotten any of the money, and that includes those in Syracuse.

The Westcott Theater, 443 Social Club, and Redhouse Arts Center all applied for the relief money in April, but haven’t seen a cent of it yet.

“We’ve had no revenue in over a year,” Redhouse Arts Center executive director Samara Hannah said. “That’s why these stimulus packages are so essential for us.”

While restaurants and bars were able to do delivery and to-go orders, the in-person nature of going to see a show made it impossible for venues to be profitable. Owner of the 443 Social Club Julie Leone said they couldn’t even break even doing socially distanced shows in the fall.

“We are scheduled to reopen on July 22, but when I picked that date I assumed we would have the grant in our hands by then,” Leone said. “Now I’m not so sure, and we’re faced with potentially trying to reopen with no money.”

Unlike the Westcott Theater and the Redhouse Arts Center, Leone’s 443 Social Club did receive notice that they would be getting relief money. Leone said she was approved 11 days ago by the Small Business Administration, but still hasn’t actually gotten the money.

Hannah said that the situation has been dire since the fall, and without the stimulus she isn’t sure how much longer venues will be able to sustain themselves. She said Redhouse is thankful for their donors for keeping them going.

“Clearly organizations are hanging on by the skin of their teeth, and we’re hanging on by just a tad more than that.”

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