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US venues able to apply for relief after ‘harrowing’ wait

The Small Business Administration's Shuttered Venue Relief Grant is finally up and running, more than two weeks after its failure to launch

By IQ on 28 Apr 2021

Webster Hall, New York

Webster Hall, New York


More than two weeks after its failure to launch, the US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Shuttered Venue Relief Grant (SVOG) was finally reopened on Monday (26 April).

The operators of shuttered US venues have endured a ‘harrowing’ 18-day wait to apply for a share of the $16 billion in federal relief aid, after the SBA opened and closed the portal on 8 April due to technical difficulties.

After several more stops and starts, the SBA reopened the portal on Monday and in its first 24 hours, received more than 17,000 applications and submitted nearly half of them, according to Variety.

A rep told Variety on Tuesday (27 April), “As of noon ET today [24 hours open], the SVOG portal had received 17,356 applications and, of those, 9,472 had been started and 7,884 had been submitted.” Further information is expected in the coming days.

“From 8 April to 26 April, we were all swinging from a rope”

“Well, that was harrowing,” says Frank Riley, High Road Touring/National Independent Touring Organisation (NITO) executive board.

“From 8 April to 26 April, we were all swinging from a rope. Daily, a thread would break and finally, down to the very end… we made it. We got through. We saw the endpoint of all we have worked toward this past year. Once again, the camaraderie and support we have offered each other was manifest throughout the day, either on emails or by text, or just shouting out the window.

“Now, we all have to wait for the process to make its way through the SBA system and continue to hope for the best. I want to thank each and every one of you for your support, your work, your diligence – and for all of the memes that made us giggle throughout the day.”

“We still need the approval process to be a swift one, as people are neck deep, water rising, hands in the air”

Nadia Prescher, Madison House/NITO executive board, says: “Most of our committee knew that the site was going to crash so sadly, I was not surprised on April 8. What I didn’t expect was 18 more days before the portal would reopen. Each day created more intensity for our members and other stakeholders. However, the pressure on the SBA employees assigned with this task is filled with intensity.

“As dire as our position has been, I personally do not envy the work taken on by the SBA staff. The SBA not only had to take a crash course on the independent music business during a global pandemic (with all of its nuances and intricacies), but they were also simultaneously badgered by hundreds of congressional leaders. Yes they made some missteps, but in the end, the SBA and its SVOG committee took the time to fix the issues and the process Monday accomplished the job at hand.. but it’s not over. We still need the approval process to be a swift one, as people are neck deep, water rising, hands in the air, reaching for SBA life preservers.”

The SVOG, also known as the Save Our Stages Act, is part of a $1.9 billion American Rescue Package which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on 11 March.

 


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