For Immediate Release: Friday, October 30, 2020
The following committees will meet virtually on Monday, Nov. 2. Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for committee review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html. The committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current committee agendas can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.
On the guidance of Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services Dr. Travis Gayles, there is currently no public access to the Council Office Building. The virtual Council meeting will be streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube (MoCoCouncilMD) and on Facebook Live (MontgomeryCountyMdCouncil) and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on channels 30 (Fios), 1056 (RCN) and 996 (Xfinity).
Meeting: Education and Culture (E&C) Committee
Time: 1:30 p.m.
E&C Committee: Councilmembers Craig Rice (Chair), Will Jawando (Lead for Libraries) and Nancy Navarro
Topic:
Arts and Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund
The E&C Committee will receive a briefing on the Arts and Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund. On July 7 in response to the disproportionate negative economic impact that the pandemic is having on the arts and humanities sector, the Council approved a special appropriation through Resolution 19-522. This action created the Arts and Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund, with $3 million designated for eligible arts and humanities organizations and $250,000 designated for eligible artists and scholars. The full Council sponsored and approved the special appropriation, which was initiated by Councilmember Craig Rice and Councilmember Evan Glass.
The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County’s September 2020 survey of the arts and humanities sector in Montgomery County showed a greater negative impact from the COVID-19 pandemic than originally predicted, with a reported loss of $32.8 million in revenue and reductions of $9.3 million in philanthropic contributions.
On Oct. 27, the Council introduced an additional $334,500 special appropriation for the Arts and Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund. A public hearing and Council vote on this special appropriation is scheduled for Nov. 10. This added funding will bring the total amount of emergency assistance appropriated for the arts sector to $3,584,500. This additional funding will ensure that all eligible arts and humanities organizations and eligible artists and scholars who applied to the Arts and Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund will receive equitable grant funding levels.
The Council staff report can be viewed here.
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