FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 14, 2023
Contact: GUILDit – Susana Bruhn, Executive Director Website: guildit.org
KC COVID ART RECESSION 2020-202?, A TOWN HALL
Kansas City area arts are still recovering from the Covid recession. At the height, the Nelson-Atkins reduced its budget by $8 million and City in Motion Dance lost 75% of its income. Thus, the town hall will brainstorm recovery resolutions. A panel of art leaders will spur us on. They include directors from the Arts Council of Johnson County, Black Rep Theater, GUILDit Art Biz, and City In Motion Dance.
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Kansas City, MO – A town hall discussion on ‘KC Covid Art Recession: Who thrived, who survived, who still needs help?’ will take place on August 22, 2023, 6-7:30pm at the Johnson County Central Resource Library. An insightful panel of art leaders will spur the discussion. They include the Arts Council of Johnson County’s Executive Director Sarah VanLanduyt, the Black Repertory Theater’s Executive Director Damron Armstrong, GUILDit’s Executive Director Susana Bruhn, and City In Motion Dance Theater’s Board President Lydia Knopp.
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Of 24 industries, the arts had the greatest downturn and will take the longest to recover, as surveyed by KC Rising in 2020. As a result, many art nonprofits have experienced significant layoffs, great financial loss, and many remained closed beyond the Fall of 2020, plus some closed permanently. The Nelson-Atkins laid off 15% of its staff in 2020 and in 2021 reduced its budget by $8 million, KC Beacon reported. In 2020 Kansas City Ballet lost $200,000 in canceled performances. Unlike most art organizations, The Kansas City Symphony was able to pay all their musicians’ salaries in full and only saw a 1% loss in its operating budget in 2020, reported KC Studio.
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While large nonprofits have been able to recover due to endowments and an expansive donor network, many small art nonprofits are still struggling, especially those of the performing arts. In 2020, the 40-year-old City in Motion Dance laid-off all 30 of its staff, experienced a 75% decrease in income, canceled 2 of their 3 performances, and closed their School of Dance. After a brief reopening in 2021, the studios permanently moved out of their home near Westport. Since 2023, it has been operating a Dance Satellite Programs at the Linwood YMCA, near 31 St. & Interstate 71 plus Lorna’s Dance Studio, near 81 St. &. Stateline. They are seeking funding to secure permanent studios again in one location.
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Young nonprofits like The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City (BRT) were trying to establish a foundation before the pandemic recession. The interruption caused setbacks in staffing the company’s administration and marketing, plus establishing a permanent theater. Instead of progressing, they had to pivot to online events and productions. The BRT saw a loss in audience and performers, for TV continued, plus film and TV were allowed back to work much sooner. The return to in-person performances for BRT included health restrictions, set by the city and unions. The Actors Equity still requires producers to pay for weekly Covid testing.
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In the Spring of 2020, GUILDit Art Biz was to launch visual art studios and coworking. The recession prevented these first streams of continuous earned revenue and growth of income. Instead, they have seen their budget decrease each year since 2020. GUILDit has persevered and hopes to open an art center this Fall, which includes an innovative gallery, the introduction of children’s events to their programming, and a move from monthly to 24/7 services by providing coworking and visual art studios. Just $10,000 in starter funds is needed to spur the launch.
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The economic impact on the arts and artists was monitored by national surveys, like the ones Kansas City’s Artist Inc did in 2020 and 2021, showing:
- 74% of artists lost wages and earnings in March 2020
- Almost half lost 51% or more of their incomes in 2020 and in 2021
- In 2021, 8 in 10 anticipate future income loss
- Income impacts are worse for non-white artists
- 60% reported that creative output was down in 2020 and in 2021
Some art organizations were able to help artists with grants, like Charlotte Street Foundation and Arts Council of Johnson County (ACJC). Also, ACJC partnered with other Kansas organizations in providing community-based arts programs, art therapy training, and additional recovery grants for artists and nonprofit arts organizations. Free classes like Business Skills for Artists are being provided by InterUrban ArtHouse, with funds from Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
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Though significant progress has been made, more is needed to help the arts recover. In 2023, ACJC helped successfully advocate for $2 million in government recovery funds, for the creative arts industries.
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“Funds like these help the arts recover and move towards rebuilding. The sooner we do, we’ll see the Kansas City area ranked nationally again for its cultural attractions. This will enrich our residents more and bring in more tourists.” said Susana Bruhn, Founder and Executive Director of GUILDit.
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Event info & registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kc-covid-art-recession-who-thrived-who-survived-who-still-needs-help-tickets-682408290567
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Following: About Art Organizations & Panelists Contact Info Photos
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About The Art Organizations
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Arts Council of Johnson County https://artsjoco.org/acjc/
- Advocate for policies that strengthen the Arts in Johnson County and the metro area
- Champion Arts learning opportunities for all ages
- Amplify Johnson County’s voice in the broader metropolitan area Arts discussions
- Contribute to the growth of the Arts within the 21 municipalities of Johnson County
Black Repertory Theater of Kansas City educates and inspires our community by presenting and promoting appreciation for African-American culture through our stories. https://www.brtkc.org/
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City In Motion Dance Theatre is a professional dance company, a presenter of dance, and a school of dance. Its mission is to foster the development of high-quality contemporary dance programming and expand the dance audience in the Kansas City metropolitan region. https://www.cityinmotion.org/
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GUILDit Art Biz spurs Kansas City artists and entrepreneurs as they create communities around best business practices in the way of forums, networking, art exhibits, and soon an art center. Their vision is an ever-growing Kansas City economy and thriving art scene. https://www.guildit.org/
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About The Panelists:
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Damron Russel Armstrong is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City. He spent his formative years in Kansas City. He has worked on most stages Kansas City has to offer. Working nationally he’s performed Raisin in the Sun – Guthrie Theatre, MN, The Full Monty – The Palace, NH, and Children of Eden – PaperMill Playhouse, NJ just to name a few. With 27 shows and seven seasons at The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, Damron is hopeful about the future of the theatre scene locally.
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Susana Bruhn is the Founder and Executive Director of GUILDit. She is also a painter, illustrator, designer, and educator. Her works have been exhibited in Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, plus shown on ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover. Susana has worked for the Kansas City Art Institute, Hallmark, Sprint, and contracted with many locally owned businesses.
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Lydia Knopp serves as President of the Board with City in Motion Dance Theater, Inc. CIM is a non-profit presenter and school of dance. There, Lydia works alongside passionate Board and Directors to support our mission of dance for everyBODY. Lydia works at Kansas State School for the Blind as Makerspace & Mobile STEM Unit Coordinator.
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Sarah VanLanduyt is the Executive Director of The Arts Council of Johnson County (ACJC). She has been there for 15 years as well as served on local nonprofit boards and state and national advisory committees. Prior to joining ACJC, Sarah served as Program Manager for Organizational Support at the Kansas Arts Commission (KAC). While at the KAC, Sarah coordinated professional development workshops for arts & cultural organizations and managed two community-based arts grant programs.
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Photos (4) >>
Arts Council of Johnson County recognizes National Arts & Humanities Month celebrations, like this event at the Midwest Trust Center with climate change rap activist Joey Finerhyme.
A performance at City in Motion Dance Theater’s annual free concert, at Westport Roanoke Park, KCMO.
The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City presents Pass Over, staring Treavor Lovelle and Preston Butler III, 4/2022.
GUILDit presents Hallmark’s featured illustrator, the international known and multi-award winner Mark English, at the Kansas City Central Library, pre-pandemic.
