Pittsburgh Cultural District lights up for entertainment industry 'red alert'

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust today is joining a nationwide “red out” to call attention to the ongoing shutdown of the live events industry and to urge Congress to pass the RESTART Act and extend Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation to unemployed and independent contractors, often called 1099 workers.

Joining with #WeMakeEvents, a coalition of trade bodies, businesses, unions and live events workers, the Trust is lighting up its jumbotron at Theater Square and digital signs throughout the Downtown Cultural District through 1 a.m. Wednesday.

”Since March of this year, the live entertainment industry has been pummeled over and over by this pandemic. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is not immune to this devastation, as we’ve seen thousands of events cancelled in the Cultural District alone and are facing a huge financial deficit for 2020,” said PCT President/CEO Kevin McMahon. “We light our screens around the Cultural District red today to urge Congress to vote for the RESTART Act and support the efforts of extending Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits.”

Organizations in more than 60 North American cities, including Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, are participating in the #RedAlertRESTART Day of Action by lighting up buildings, marquees and signs.

“Since all live events were shut down in March 2020, millions of people have been impacted in an industry estimated at generating close to $1 trillion in revenue per year,” according to a #WeMakeEvents release. “Due to public health concerns, live events will not return until sometime next year, making the RESTART Act an essential piece of legislation for the survival of our businesses.”

The organization says the scope of the pandemic-related entertainment shutdown includes these statistics:

• Live events employ more than 12 million people.

• Live events contribute more than $1 trillion annually to the U.S. economy.

• 95% of live events have been canceled due to covid-19.

• 96% of companies have cut staff and/or wages.

• 77% of people in the live events industry have lost 100% of their income, including 97% of 1099 workers.

As part of the “Red Alert,” video footage and live interviews are streaming through 1 a.m. Wednesday on Facebook and YouTube.

“The entire live entertainment industry is on the brink of collapse,” said Brad Nelms, director of WeMakeEvents North America. “Without financial relief, many businesses stand to permanently close, and families risk bankruptcy and homelessness.

“We want to take this opportunity to show the world the scale of what it takes to make live entertainment events happen and to demonstrate how much this crisis has affected our community. This is a human issue, not a political issue, and it requires immediate action.”