THE PLACE Act (Promoting Local Arts and Creative Economy Workforce Act of 2020)

Be An #ArtsHero stands in full solidarity with the PLACE Act, which was introduced by Senator Schatz in January 2020.

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The PLACE Act aims to bolster local creative economies and empower workers to find sustainable jobs in creative and cultural industries. “The creative economy is a powerhouse in Maine and across the country, adding over $800 billion to our national GDP and growing at a rate nearly double the rest of our economy. However, the industry has taken a devastating hit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – with an estimated impact of more than $9 billion to date – and needs our help. I’ve been proud to lead efforts to secure relief for artists and arts organizations, and I’ll continue to push for more,” said Congresswoman Pingree. 

You can read the full act here.

The PLACE Act creates local opportunity for the creative economy by:

  • Amending definitions to include the creative economy in state and local workforce plans, Native American Programs, Dislocated Worker Grants, Recovering Individual programs, Corrections Education, Career and Technical Education, Work Study, Economic Adjustment, prisoner training programs, and Veterans affairs programs under Title 38; 

  • Providing technical assistance offered by small business development centers in order to foster strong business plans and the execution of those plans; 

  • Authorizing Creative Economy Grants which incubate small business in their “startup” phase by allowing for wage subsidies; 

  • Authorizing Creative Economy Apprenticeship Grants under the Department of Education to helping teach the future creative economy workforce; 

  • Updating tax codes regarding deductions for artists’ works and the performing artists tax credit; 

  • Including creative economy businesses in the existing New Market Tax Credit; and 

  • Allowing those participating in the creative economy the same FEMA disaster benefits as other businesses.