By Susan Tebben
As an industry with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, arts organizations are struggling to cover the significant economic losses the coronavirus pandemic caused.
In a pandemic impact report, the Ohio Citizens for the Arts asked members where they stood financially following restrictions and closures caused by the spread of COVID-19 through the state. Members of the OCA include the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, BalletMet, the Great Lakes Theater and the Zanesville Museum of Art.
The report said the arts and creative industry has “continually suffered the highest unemployment rate than any other industry in Ohio.”
The unemployment rate for April, as released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ labor market information, was 21% for arts and entertainment. Categories like leisure and hospitality, and accommodation and food were the closest rates to the arts, at 13.23% and 11.86% respectively.
Pandemic restrictions have been largely lifted in the state of Ohio. In the most recent numbers from May 2021, Ohio labor market information showed arts, entertainment & recreation with employment of 69,900, up from 33,400 last year.
The survey of OCA members also showed many arts and culture organizations slashed budgets by an average of 30%, but still anticipate a “significant deficit” for fiscal year 2022.
In November 2020, Ohio allocated $20 million in CARES Act dollars to the arts community, which was needed as a temporary stop-gap.
“But unfortunately, the organizations permitted to apply for CARES (Act) funding indicate in this new survey that the one-time relief aid had only kept their institutions afloat for an average of six weeks,” said Angela Meleca, executive director of the Ohio Citizens for the Arts, in a statement on the survey.
The report was a follow up of a survey done in the fall of 2020, which found more than $70 million was needed to cover gaps in funding created within the industry by the pandemic.
According to Meleca, that funding is needed to rehire laid off employees and cover production costs, which would usually be covered through earned revenue such as ticket sales. Following the study’s findings, the OCA is asking the state to provide $50 million in additional help to cover the gap.
“No business can be expected to survive, by no fault of their own, on zero earned income for more than a year and then be presumed that they can stay alive without additional one-time assistance,” Meleca said.
Throughout the pandemic, members of the arts community have tried different ways to deal with the closures, including online events and even teaching lessons to make up lost money.
***
Also from Ohio Capital Journal:
Results of Vax-A-Million: Vaccination rate spiked, then fizzled
When Ohio’s governor announced a first-in-the-nation vaccine sweepstakes, he acknowledged it might seem like a farfetched idea.
“Now I know that some of you now are shaking your head and saying, ‘That Mike DeWine, he’s crazy. This million dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money,’” he said during a public address.
Indeed, the Vax-A-Million program received mixed reviews from lawmakers and citizens alike. The final winners were announced on Wednesday evening, closing out a five-week lottery that produced an initial jolt in the vaccination rate that has stagnated of late. READ MORE
Ohio Supreme Court: Schools can’t arm teachers without proper training
School districts do not have the discretion to authorize the arming of teachers, according to a Wednesday ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court.
The state’s highest court came out with the decision on Wednesday, going against legislative efforts and pro-gun lobbying groups who believed local control should be a part of firearms policies in Ohio schools.
The court heard arguments on the case back in January.
The Madison Local School district passed a resolution in April 2018 granting written authorization by the school board to those deemed appropriate by the district superintendent to enter school property armed. After that resolution passed, a group of parents and gun-control advocates, led by parent Erin Gabbard, sued the school to stop the resolution from being implemented. READ MORE
Proposed budget changes said to threaten Medicaid reforms
The Republican leadership of the Ohio Senate is attempting to give an Ohio-based Medicaid managed-care company a do-over after it failed badly in a competitive process to keep its business with the state.
Critics say the do-over — which was apparently lobbied for by the previous Medicaid director — would at least delay a series of reforms to a Medicaid system that has been vulnerable to huge rip-offs related to prescription drug purchases. It also threatens a new program that would coordinate care for up to 60,000 kids with complex behavioral needs, critics add.
Perhaps worst of all, said one opponent, using legislation to possibly restore a contract to a business that lost it through competitive bidding sets a terrible example for all future failed bidders.
“Regardless of the rationale, I have tremendous concern that unravelling the Medicaid managed-care procurement after-the-fact undermines the whole intent of the competitive bidding process, which is a necessary accountability mechanism in the system,” said Antonio Ciaccia, who helped lead the drive to reform the way Ohio spends billions annually on prescription drugs. “It would send a signal to the entire insurer marketplace that if you underperform and lose out, all you have to do is lobby and litigate your way back into the winner’s circle.” READ MORE
