FINDLAY, Ohio — COVID-19 relief funds are still being distributed to local businesses in Ohio to help recover from the pandemic.
The local, live entertainment industry was proportionally one of the hardest hit during the pandemic shutdown.
In Findlay, the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts had to cancel more then 100 shows, events and performances.
And though it's been nearly a full year since the theater could safely operate with no restrictions, they're still finding it hard to get people to come out.
"And even coming back has been slow," said MCPA executive director Heather Clow. "So, we are just bring back our adult workshops, that's just coming back from COVID, which we started pre-pandemic."
Earlier this month, the MCPA was one of 104 Ohio arts-based organizations in 33 counties that received a portion of $20 million in COVID-19 relief funding from the Ohio Arts Economic Relief Grant Program.
This was the second round of funding in the state, and MCPA will get $160,000 to cover administrative costs.
"By supporting these organizations, we're supporting the business of art, which is essential for economic growth but also essential for creating vibrant and diverse communities," said Lydia Mihalik, former Findlay mayor and now director of the Ohio Department of Development.
"Arts contribute to our economy, we're not just fluffy and nice to have," Clow said. "We're a $50 billion industry in Ohio, and 300,000 are people employed. And it's really gratifying that they understand that."
Clow said her organizations was fortunate, as they didn't have to lay any of their employees off. And now this relief funding will help open some more in house money to reopen more local programming.
"Everybody stuck around, we were able to keep people employed," Clow said. "And these are highly skills workers, I men, you can't just go on the street necessarily and find somebody to work back stage. So we were lucky to keep people here."
The Armes Music series kicks off again Thursday, Aug. 10 with blues musician Nigel Wearne.
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