1,000 signatures reached
To: The State of RI
Help Keep Performing Arts Centers Open
We are asking the Governor to consider our closures for Thanksgiving break and the holiday break to be our “pause”.
Why is this important?
Since day one of the shut downs back in March 2020, performing arts centers have asked to be their own category. We are not a gym, sport or a fitness studio. We are Art. We have the ability to adjust our ways of teaching to co-exist with Covid-19 regulations. The Governor announced we have to “pause” from 11/30 to 12/13. This means we will lose the only two weeks most of us are open for the month of December. The damage this will cause to our businesses is enormous. We will lose tuition income for an entire month. We will not be able to pay teachers, rent or utilities. This will create uncertainty causing us to lose students for possibly the remainder of the season. Performing arts schools on average are operating under 50% from 2019. We have been compliant with all regulations, have passed Covid task force inspections and have followed all orders laid out by Governor Gina Raimondo.
This shut down is unreasonable and unjust. Again, we are not a gym, sport or a fitness studio. We are Art. Allowing restaurants, hair salons, retail and schools to stay open shows how we are being singled out as losers in the fight of job security in this unstable Rhode Island economy. We have taken it upon ourselves to implement mask wearing at all times even when the state was NOT requiring fitness gyms and sports to wear masks at all times. We have practiced 6 foot spacing for social distancing and have adjusted our curriculum to be able to practice such measures. We have been in compliance. We have applied for grants but have not heard back with approvals.
The performing arts industry has not seen any data justifying the Governors decision to close performing arts centers. We have not been the cause of the spread nor have we had any contact tracing trace back to us indicating we are a problem to the safety of our communities. What we do is important to our communities just as much as schools are. If schools are safe to open, so are we. If restaurants are safe to open, so are we. If hair salons, barbershops, spas and nail salons are safe to be open, so are we.
We are asking for your signatures to show your support in the importance of keeping performing arts centres open. We can continue to adjust to keep our students and staff safe but closing is not an option.
This shut down is unreasonable and unjust. Again, we are not a gym, sport or a fitness studio. We are Art. Allowing restaurants, hair salons, retail and schools to stay open shows how we are being singled out as losers in the fight of job security in this unstable Rhode Island economy. We have taken it upon ourselves to implement mask wearing at all times even when the state was NOT requiring fitness gyms and sports to wear masks at all times. We have practiced 6 foot spacing for social distancing and have adjusted our curriculum to be able to practice such measures. We have been in compliance. We have applied for grants but have not heard back with approvals.
The performing arts industry has not seen any data justifying the Governors decision to close performing arts centers. We have not been the cause of the spread nor have we had any contact tracing trace back to us indicating we are a problem to the safety of our communities. What we do is important to our communities just as much as schools are. If schools are safe to open, so are we. If restaurants are safe to open, so are we. If hair salons, barbershops, spas and nail salons are safe to be open, so are we.
We are asking for your signatures to show your support in the importance of keeping performing arts centres open. We can continue to adjust to keep our students and staff safe but closing is not an option.