COVID Impact Survey Data from New York State Council on the Arts

[Editor’s Note] The below information was shared by New York State Council on the Arts in a recent newsletter. I urge you to look through the findings of the full survey for a bird’s eye view of COVID-19’s effect on arts organizations in New York.

New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA)’s February 2023 COVID impact survey received an overwhelming response rate. 80% (1,293) of NYSCA’s 1,614 FY2023 grantees responded, providing tremendous insights into the state of New York’s non-profit arts and culture recovery.

While signs of improvement are indicated, the sector is still in active recovery mode and experiencing operational and programmatic paradigm shifts. Key data points include:

• Continued reductions in workforce: 47% of respondents reported workforce layoffs and furloughs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 40% of this group report that they have rehired all previously laid off or furloughed staff.
• Decreases in audiences as a result of 1) decreased tourism and 2) a shift towards more hybrid arts experiences: 56% of respondents are expecting fewer annual visitors in 2023 than they did pre-pandemic, with 65% of this group expecting 25-50% fewer visitors than in 2019.
• Decreased revenue (both earned and contributed): 53% of respondents report that they have not returned to 2019 levels of revenue, due to decreased audiences and tourism levels still in recovery.
• Dramatically increased operating costs: Respondents indicate higher staffing costs, shipping/freight, and more expensive materials and supplies. Unique to the arts sector and public venues are the ongoing expenses from COVID cancellations, rescheduling, and health and safety upgrades to older facilities.

Click here to read the survey results.

About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org