We all know that the economic impact of the new coronavirus pandemic is going to be huge. But for South Bay nonprofit organizations and arts groups, it could be absolutely devastating.
Complying with regional health guidelines, performances are being canceled, galleries are closing their doors and fundraising galas are falling off the calendar one after the other. Volunteers are also staying away from social-service agencies, who are sometimes key contacts for vulnerable populations.
The launch of the COVID-19 Fund for Feeding Families with multimillion-dollar donations from Sheryl Sandberg and her fiance Tom Bernthal, along with John and Eileen Donahoe, Mike Schroepfer and Erin Hoffmann, and Bill and Amy Gurley is a great model for keeping Second Harvest Food Bank going during the crisis. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
When the Cinequest film festival rescheduled its second week of programming to August, festival director Halfdan Hussey said that audiences were already noticeably smaller and that the nonprofit would take a financial hit of between $750,000 to $1 million as a result. And Chris Burrill, general manger of the Hammer Theatre Center in downtown San Jose, said the venue — operated by San Jose State University — had already lost $45,000 in revenue and stood to lose $75,000 if all of its programming through early April was canceled.
And it’s about the people who work for the organizations, too. “We put dozens of people to work — stagehands, ushers, concession people — and they’re all out of work,” Burrill said.
Opera San Jose canceled its upcoming performances of “The Magic Flute,” but in her announcement, new General Director Khori Dastoor said the company was starting the Opera San Jose Artists and Musicians Relief Fund, an emergency cash reserve that the company will draw from to support everyone from musicians to carpenters who are affected by COVID-19. “We are banding together in support of one another as we always have during moments of challenge,” Dastoor said in a statement.
Bellarmine College Prep canceled its Golden Bell gala, scheduled for March 14, but encouraged guests to bid for auction items online. But other groups, like the Willow Glen Performing Arts Boosters and the East Side Union High School District Education Foundation, canceled their big annual fundraisers without any backup. Humane Society Silicon Valley already had sunk a ton of effort and money into its annual Fur Ball, which this year was going to be held March 28 at Levi’s Stadium. It’s off, and without any announced plans to reschedule it.
The city of San Jose and other government entities are always working toward making sure small business stay afloat during this time of social distancing, but the arts and nonprofits absolutely need to be a part of that effort. When all is said and done, valley nonprofits and arts group are going to need a disaster relief fund — and we all need to be part of it.
Kyra Kazantzis, CEO of the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, said the nonprofit leaders she’s spoken to are definitely concerned about how they’ll make it through this crisis. “It’s a combination of mobilization and determination, as well as fear that any business would feel,” she said of the sentiments she’s hearing.
She says there are some quick steps that people can do to keep nonprofits afloat, starting with not asking for refunds for canceled performances if you can afford it. If you’re a season subscriber to an arts organization, renew now — while the group can use the cash infusion. And if you donate to a nonprofit, whether it’s Sacred Heart Community Service, History San Jose or the San Jose Museum of Art, think about making this year’s donation early.
“Another thing people can do since it’s tax season is to look at who they donated to this year on their tax return and just double that donation,” Kazantzis said, urging folks to make at least one adjustment.
“We all have worldwide organizations we like, but now is the time to donate locally. Our community and our cultural institutions are in crisis, and we need donations here. Next year, you can go back to international groups,” she said.
These are good suggestions, though it may take a lot more before this is over. When this crisis passes — and we have to believe it will — we will need our cultural assets and social-service agencies to be there. So we need to make sure they stay healthy through all of this.