Sen. Schumer, Jerry Seinfeld seek federal relief for NY live venues

New York Senator Chuck Schumer and comedian Jerry Seinfeld came together on Sunday to announce their support for the “Save Our Stages Act,” which would seek federal relief for live venues in New York and across the nation.

“We are here to talk about places like the Gotham Comedy Club and the live venues throughout New York that provide space for music, for art, for comedy, and for New Yorkers to gather. They are the lifeblood of New York and they are dying, and we are here to try and save them,” Schumer said.

According to Schumer, three-quarters of the city’s live venues, which were the first to close due to the pandemic, will go out of business without financial assistance.

The $10B bill would give venues a grant of up to $12M each for six months to help them stay open. 

“New York is so special for performers,” Seinfeld said. “When you come into Manhattan as a performer and you stand in front of New York audiences, you find out if you’re good enough to actually have a career in the arts.”

In July, the National Independent Venue Association reported that “90% of independent venues report that if the shutdown lasts six months and there’s no federal assistance, they will never reopen again.”

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