Why the Red Light?

Hudson Hall and Basilica Hudson join Capital Region venues SPAC, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Proctors Theater, and The Palace Theater in participating in "Red Alert," a nationwide effort to encourage Congress to provide relief for the live entertainment industry, which has been uniquely affected by the pandemic. Tonight, September 1, from 9:00 p.m. to midnight, Hudson Hall and Basilica Hudson, along with performing arts venues across the Capital Region and across the nation, will light their exteriors in red as part of a nationwide call to action, imploring Congress to pass the RESTART Act (S. 3814/H.R. 7481) and the Save Our Stages Act (S. 4258/H.R. 7806) as quickly as possible.

The RESTART Act and Save Our Stages Act offer economic relief to the live events industry, which has been shuttered since March. The live event industry in North America directly employs more than 12 million people and includes hundreds of thousands of businesses with a combined economic impact of over $1 trillion. Red Alert also advocates for extending Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, to provide relief to those without work since March due to COVID-19.

Because of the pandemic, Hudson Hall closed its doors on March 16, canceling seventeen performances, nine community events, eighty-four workshops, all rentals, and its largest fundraiser of the year, and incurring a loss of $250,000 or a quarter of its annual budget. In 2019, Hudson Hall served an audience of 50,000 and employed more than 400 artists and skilled technicians. It generated an estimated $230,000 in local, state, and federal government revenues (Americans for the Arts Economic Impact Calculator, 2019), making it a strong contributor to Columbia County's creative economy.

Tambra Dillon, executive director of Hudson Hall, said, "The impact of COVID-19 on the arts cannot be underestimated. Performing arts venues were the first to close and will be the last to fully reopen. But the impact goes far beyond the cultural experiences we provide. Each of our events and workshops employs artists and members of our community, provides education and enrichment for local youth and diverse audiences, and generates business for our neighboring retailers, restaurants, and lodging establishments. Our landmark building represents 165 years of cultural history. We believe culture creates community. And the health and economic well being of our creative community are at risk, putting our creative economy at risk."

The general public can help raise awareness and urge Congress to act now in several ways. Visit saveourstages.com to send a letter to our senators and representative. Use the hashtags #SAVEOURSTAGES and #RedAlert RESTART on social media. Light your own residence or business red in a show of solidarity, or use a red filter on a social media image.