“Employment in New York City’s arts, entertainment and recreation sector plummeted by 66 percent from December 2019 to December 2020, according to a report released on Wednesday by the New York State Comptroller’s office that detailed the economy’s devastation from the coronavirus and the serious obstacles to recover,” writes Colin Moynihan in Wednesday’s (2/24) New York Times. “The report … said that the sector had seen the largest drop of all the parts of the city’s economy. A full comeback, it said, would depend upon significant government assistance. The sector ‘is a cornerstone of the city’s ability to attract businesses, residents and visitors alike,’ the report said. ‘Yet the sector relies on audiences who gather to take part in shared experiences, and this way of life has been significantly disrupted by the pandemic.’ Although nearly all business has been affected by the pandemic, its impact on arts, entertainment and recreation entities has been particularly striking…. ‘Arts and recreation face an uphill climb to recover from the damage wrought,’ the report said, adding: ‘The challenges facing the arts and entertainment sector require direct and impactful support from policymakers to maintain the city’s extensive cultural offerings.’ ”
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