The arts and entertainment industries of NYC are our city’s greatest assets. The sector brings tens of billions of dollars into the city’s economy every year -- more than every major NJ & NY sports team combined -- and from film to TV, to theater, to visual art and more, art is one of our most unique and valuable exports. Our country has never done very well prioritizing the arts. But we’re now at a critical moment: if we do not support, shield, and uplift our arts sector, tourism to NYC will remain low and our economy will not recover.

Additionally, COVID has also shown us how dreary our lives would be without the arts. Many New Yorkers have relied heavily on the arts throughout the pandemic to keep us connected in an age of isolation. It’s time to pay artists back for what they’ve given to us.

I have been meeting with our arts leaders to discuss how the City can best support their recovery, and make the industry come back even stronger than before. This begins with creating a reliable online portal where arts organizations and individual artists can register, and include basic information about their practice, size, income, and needs. With this information gathered in one hub, we can deliver resources more effectively, beginning with:

Broadway & Large Event Venues

As Mayor, I will work with all of the major unions, guilds, and theater owners -- like IATSE, Actors’ Equity, the SDC, the Broadway League, the League of Independent Theaters, the Alliance of Resident Theaters, NYIVA, and more -- to ensure that Broadway and event venues are supported as they climb back from a devastating year.

It is important for the Mayor to understand that as soon as the theater doors are back open, everything is not instantly fixed. These venues will need months, if not years, of full houses to make up for a year and a half’s worth of losses. I will lobby for state and federal aid to arts venues and arts workers; I will do everything in the City government’s power to provide necessary funding and resources to these organizations. I will also implement a city-wide marketing strategy to bring patrons back to Broadway shows and other venues, educating residents and tourists on the safety procedures in place so they feel safe coming back to the theater.

As a Tech Mayor, I will also streamline the process of arts workers and freelancers claiming unemployment and low-income benefits during times of need. A website that has freelancers’ needs, and often difficult-to-document employment and payment histories, in mind is a simple solution that a tech-focused administration can implement.

Park Permits

COVID has exposed a need for outdoor business activities. Restaurants were given support to move their operations outdoors, but arts businesses were left behind. They are still suffering, nearly a year later. I would immediately streamline the process to request a permit for performances and other artistic programs in city parks, and make them more accessible to all artists. I would utilize the existing resources of the Parks Department to equip every major park with basic gear for performances, including folding chairs, music stands, and covered space to make more outdoor performances possible.

Shared Space and Resources

Our city is full of resources; they’re just not being distributed well. In Manhattan, incredibly, tens of thousands of apartments and offices sit empty.  Nearly half of the luxury condos built in the last 5 years have yet to be sold. For landlords holding empty units, we will invite them to donate their space to the arts in exchange for tax benefits. They can then be used by artists for free as rehearsal studios, workshops, galleries, dance studios, and more. It’s time for our government and neighbors to step up, and support the companies and independent artists who make our City the cultural center that it is. 

One Percent for Art

I pledge to devote 1% of all public construction funds to the arts, including bringing the arts to young children enrolled in our Universal Childcare. Artists can and should be paid to paint murals, build sculptures, perform in, and beautify our public spaces. 

Arts Education and Workforce Development

My administration will fund arts education in our schools, and include arts training in our workforce development programs and the City’s summer work programs. Both students and their parents should hear about the opportunities for careers in the arts. Many career paths in the arts sector lead to full-time, union jobs, that permit workers to raise families and buy homes. Making sure all children know about, and are prepared for, art career opportunities is a critical part of diversifying our arts workforce. And I know how much stronger our communities will be when our TV shows, movies, plays, and musicals are written by more women, people of color, and people with disabilities, with diverse main characters and stories that reflect all of us.

Arts are essential to education, anywhere, in any setting. Here are my core beliefs when it comes to art in schools:

• We know that many forms of intelligence exist; arts represent more than one. And we also know that the arts are closely related to other forms of human learning, from math to physics to poetry. Missing art is to miss entire parts of intellectual development. 

• Arts represent human history, which doesn’t remember those who are merely wealthy. It remembers the artifacts left behind, the artists and the great patrons. 

• Arts are essential for stimulating creating, building self-confidence, understanding excellence and perseverance. 

• Students unmotivated by school often find the arts a reason for attending and persevering. 

• The arts will be especially important as students return to school, post-COVID, in which mental health will be a major component in successfully re-integrating into “normal” school. 

• New York City is the creative capital of the nation. An influx of homegrown creative talent will be essential to maintaining that position. And the arts are a huge component of the city’s economy. We can’t afford not to offer a robust arts education. 

Read my full education policy here.

Use the City’s Position in Marketing & Tourism to Promote the Arts

The City has a budget to promote tourism to New York City. Since most tourists come to NYC to see performances, we should be using that budget to help smaller arts businesses promote their work. We can provide ad credits to nonprofits and small arts businesses for ads to get the word out on the subway, buses, public buildings, and more. 

Create Arts Districts in Each Borough

The proven value of a “agglomeration economy” should not be limited to Midtown Manhattan. We will create Arts Districts in each borough, increasing business to each arts entity within that district. With the city’s advertising support, we can create thriving mini-neighborhoods that support and cultivate diverse artistry in our local communities. 

Liquor License Accessibility

Especially for small performance companies and venues, concessions sales are nearly as vital as ticket sales when it comes to offsetting the cost of production. We will make wine and beer licenses more easily available to small arts businesses, including those who do not own or rent their own performance space. 

Insurance and Benefits Fund for Artists and Freelancers

In the wake of a public health crisis, the need for everyone to have equal access to healthcare has become more urgent than ever. We will create a City fund to offset the costs of insurance and medical expenses for freelance artists who don’t get insurance from a union or employer.

Complaint System for Workplace Abuses

34% of workers in NYC are freelancers, many of those in the arts sector. That means that one-third of our workforce lacks access to an HR department to report workplace abuses and discrimination. I will establish a complaint filing system (with the option to remain anonymous) so workers can safely report workplace violations regarding race or gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, below-minimum-wage pay, or any other concerns that arise in a freelance workspace. We will work with each sector individually to figure out the best way to hold employers accountable without putting the freelancers’ careers at risk.