Pasadena Playhouse (Photo – commons.wikimedia.org).
On Wednesday, July 28, 2021, Rep. Judy Chu announced twenty venues in CA-27 have received over $16.3 million in Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG).
By News Desk
The SVOG program, which received an additional $1.25 billion in funding this year through the American Rescue Plan, aims to support hard-hit businesses that were forced to shut their doors due to pandemic restrictions, including those in the music and entertainment sector.
The program, which was initially plagued by technical challenges, has now disbursed $7.6 billion in assistance. To help resolve the initial backlog, Rep. Chu joined over 200 bipartisan Members of Congress in calling for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to expedite the release of funds. This effort was successful, and the SBA has now approved 9,844 grants, including 1,393 in California. Rep. Chu released the following statement:
Our local music and entertainment businesses were hard-hit by COVID-19. Because they rely on in-person crowds, these businesses were among the first to close their doors, and will be among the very last to return to full capacity. Especially in Southern California, businesses like theaters and concert venues are essential to both our local economy and the community’s culture.
That is why, as a member of the House Small Business Committee, I pushed for the creation of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. And I am thrilled that, thanks to this program, 20 venues in my district have already received over $16.3 million in support to keep their doors open and employees on the payroll.
Many of these venues are the lifeblood of their neighborhoods, like the famous Pasadena Playhouse, the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra, and the Kidspace Children’s Museum. And so I am proud to fight for the support they need so that they can still be here for us as we continue our work to contain this virus and reopen our economy.
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