Artists throughout the State of California are uniting for the passage of Senate Bill 805 (SB 805) titled, “The Performing Arts Relief Act,” which the Senate Labor Committee will vote on Wednesday, April 26 in Sacramento. A coalition of 35 small 99-seat non-profit theaters and freelance performers are banding together to make theater accessible to all.

SB 805 is focused on exploring solutions to help create and preserve opportunities for emerging artists, performers and people in the performing arts sector – particularly for workers from marginalized communities. Many small budget, culturally rooted community performing arts organizations are often the onramp and incubator for new works and opportunities for emerging performers and people entering the creative performing arts industries.

Small performing arts organizations are reducing the number of people they hire and the number of programs they offer. Community-based arts organizations are historically undercapitalized. This is a cause of concern for the survival of this critical aspect of the arts ecosystem that SB 805 is trying to solve. Authored by State Senator Susan Rubio and co-authored by State Senator Bill Allen, SB 805 will support 501(c)(3) non-profits and small performing arts organizations that exist for charitable purposes to bring the arts and educational and cultural activities to the general public at reasonable costs, especially in underserved communities.
            
             

On Monday, April 26 SB 805 will go before the Senate Committee on Labor for a vote. Those who want small 99-seat theatres to survive in California can call and email the offices of the senators below prior to April 26 to ask them to pass SB 805. The Senate Labor Committee consists of State Senators Dave Cortese, Rosilicie Ochoa-Bogh, María Elena Durazo John Laird and Josh Newman.