READOUT: SBA Administrator Visits Manhattan to Tout Economic Recovery of Shuttered Venues & Congratulates Community Navigator Spokes at Westchester’s Iona College

By Jessel Thomas First Posted: Dec 15, 2021 08:01 PM EST

Last week, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), visited Manhattan and Westchester, New York, as part of a national tour highlighting the SBA's role in America's economic recovery and the importance of shopping small over the holiday season. In Manhattan, Administrator Guzman spotlighted the positive economic impact of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program on bringing performing arts venues back to life, from Broadway shows and independent venues to community institutions like the Apollo Theatre.

(Photo: SBA)

"Visiting New York during the holiday season and seeing Broadway's incredible recovery makes me prouder than ever of the work the SBA has done in support of America's shuttered venues, delivering more than $2 billion in emergency relief to these community pillars across New York State who drive local economic activity," said Administrator Guzman. "Today, the lights are back on Broadway, along with countless theaters, concert halls, museums and other cultural venues across America. The SBA will keep working to deliver support for these venues so that they can continue creating jobs and anchoring Main Street businesses across our economy, filling our lives with the arts and culture that have always sparked our greatest hopes, encouraged us to dream and reminded us to be our best for each other."

During her two-day visit, Administrator Guzman listened to stories about how non-essential businesses like the Blue Note Jazz Club survived with SBA relief. As Blue Note co-owners Stephen and Tsion Bensusan shared, support from PPP and SVOG allowed them to reopen, create jobs and once again fill their venue with talents such as Grammy Award-winning musician and composer Chris Botte, who joined the event to discuss what it meant to get back to work in front of an audience.

Administrator Guzman also met with owners and leaders of iconic New York venues and theatres at the Lunt Fontanne Theater to hear how they utilized SBA economic aid programs. Speaking as a keynote guest at a Broadway League panel discussion, she joined Broadway Across America Co-CEO Jeff Daniel, who moderated the event to hear insights from industry notables, including Tony Award-winning producer Kevin McCollum, Sue Frost, a founding member of Junkyard Dog Productions & producer of Come From Away, Mara Isaacs, founder of Octopus Theatricals & producer of Hadestown.

"For over 500 very long and dark days, thousands of theatres were shuttered due to the pandemic closures. Broadway and the greater entertainment and arts industries were silenced for the first time in our history. Our future was uncertain," said Jeff Daniel, co-CEO of Broadway Across America. "SVOG has played a critical role in Broadway's reopening and is so vital because, uniquely, it benefits our venues, but also the risk-taking small businesses that bring needed content to stages and is helping to bring back the 97,000 jobs in NYC and many more around the country to bring our cities back to the vibrancy that Broadway creates. And, the support will help keep the venues and the shows in them going during a time of serious uncertainty. Administrator Guzman and the SBA team understand the complexities of our industry and have swiftly provided us with needed relief."

Administrator Guzman also visited with the cast of the Broadway musical Six, which benefitted from the SVOG program, before the curtains rose at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

In addition, the Administrator toured the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, also an SVOG recipient, and was asked to join Apollo's Wall of Signatures, covered in autographs of some of the most celebrated and renowned entertainers spanning three decades: from Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney to John Legend and Stevie Wonder among many others.

In New York City, Administrator Guzman also shopped small and dined small to support Big Apple small businesses at the Winter Village at Bryant Park along with New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Jonnell Dorris, Manhattan Brough President Gail Brewer, and Bryant Park Corporation Executive Director Dan Biederman. Visiting some of the over 120 shops on-site, their collective message was clear: make a big impact by shopping small this holiday season.

The Administrator concluded her trip to New York at Iona College, a Community Navigator Pilot Program spoke grantee and met with community leaders like New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson and Iona College President Seamus Carey. Iona College Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation hosted a roundtable to discuss their planned work supporting veteran and military family entrepreneurs.

The trip last week marks Administrator Guzman's fourth visit to New York since her confirmation as Administrator. Since June, Administrator Guzman has visited 20 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico.