Emergency Rally “Catch Up, California: Bay Area for SB 1116” Asks State Senate to Reverse Devastating Arts Underfunding

A coalition of Bay Area performing artists are holding an emergency rally, Catch Up, California: Bay Area for SB 1116, on Friday, June 9, 2023, at Bayfront Theatre in San Francisco. Senate Bill 1116, which was signed into law by Governor Newsom last year, establishes the Equitable Payroll Fund for the nonprofit arts sector and would create jobs and revitalize local economies, but currently remains unfunded. 

Live performing arts in California are increasingly at risk. Facing rising costs and disappearing funding sources, theatres are closing at an alarming rate. For example, North Hollywood has gone from 14 theaters before the pandemic to just six, according to the Theatre Producers of Southern California. Over 20 Californian theatres have suspended production or closed since 2020, including Bay Area Children’s Theatre.

The rally requests that approximately $12 million in unspent funds in the Nonprofit Performing Arts (NPPA) Grants program remain allocated for nonprofit performing arts and be repurposed to launch a pilot of the Equitable Payroll Fund. 

According to a report by CVL Economics, in 2021 alone, the state’s Performing Arts sector lost a decade’s worth of job growth. If current trends continue, state and local governments could see a combined $4.1 billion loss in tax revenue. 

“We tend to take the arts for granted in California, but our state is ranked only 28th in arts spending per capita,” says Sean Fenton, Executive Director of Theatre Bay Area. “We need to renew our investment in the arts to remain a thriving cultural destination.

“It’s heartbreaking to see these performing arts institutions close their doors. We’re feeling the loss of not only the amazing art they produced, but also their economic and social impact on the community. Especially small organizations, where the next generation of artists gain experience and grow into leadership. These closures are cutting off the state’s talent pipeline, the effects of which we’ll be feeling for years to come.”

The coalition supporting this funding includes artist labor unions, performing arts employers, and arts advocates. Over 100 performing arts organizations across California signed their support for SB 1116.