#RedAlertRESTART – live events advocacy mobilization

* Live events employ over 12 million people.

* Live events contributes over $1 trillion annually to the US economy.

* 95% of live events have been cancelled 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.

On September 1st, 2020, #WeMakeEvents, a coalition of trade bodies, businesses, unions, and live events workers, lit up their venues, homes, and cities red in over 1,500 locations across North America to raise public and media awareness in support of the live events sector. Will you join us?

The 9/1 mobilization is past, but the effort continues.

Fans, Professionals, and Venues: you can still contact your representatives to ask them to support the RESTART Act.  Use the form on our website.

About The Legislation:
The RESTART Act (S. 3814/H.R. 7481), led by senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) in the Senate and representatives Jared Golden (D-ME) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) in the House, fills in the gaps left by the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) in order to provide much needed relief for industries whose expenses far exceed the payroll restrictions put in place by PPP.

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) was a CARES Act provision to provide additional funding for those on Unemployment Insurance (UI) in the form of $600/week. It expired at the end of July. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), also part of the CARES Act, expands UI coverage to include those who are not usually eligible for regular UI benefits. This includes freelancers, self-employed workers, and independent contractors.