No SXSW means layoffs, lost wages & missed opportunities amid coronavirus fears
AUSTIN, Texas — One week after the
and canceled South by Southwest for the first time in the festival’s 34-year history, a sense of unease and uncertainty about how this year’s non-event will play out feels palpable around town. When Mayorheld that previously unthinkable press conference on March 6, he referenced city officials’ estimates that SXSW has a more than $350 million impact on the city annually -- a huge figure for a city with an.
Locals in the music industry, as well as those who had planned to come to Austin before SXSW’s unexpected cancellation, express even more concrete concerns over losing what was a dependable, annual financial boost. By and large, they also hope that the arts community here can band together to somehow salvage this year’s edition of the city’s big week., an Austin-based post-hardcore band formed in 2016, applied to be a part of SXSW several times in recent years, only to be turned down.
“[The music community] is really worried that people aren’t going to come out as much, spend money at the bars or for tickets. That allows venues to pay their rent, pay their staff and keep the lights on, and that of course trickles down to staff,” McErlean says. “But now a lot of friends of mine in the music community are like, ‘I don't know how I’m going to make ends meet.’ It’s like if you’re a Christmas tree supplier and now Christmas is cancelled.
That large music community extends well beyond musicians and venues. Austin professionals in hospitality, transportation, lighting production, live sound and more are now all trying to figure out short-term solutions and longterm strategies to deal with the evolving COVID-19 situation. Recently, this has taken the form of various community-wide initiatives.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
SXSW was canceled but unofficial events still happened - Business InsiderClaire Shefchik is in Austin for the now-canceled SXSW festival, where plenty of unofficial events are still happening.
Read more »
Dell says that none of the six cases of coronavirus in Austin are its employees - Business InsiderEven without SXSW, Coronavirus has come to Austin, but it is not being spread at the city's largest tech employer.
Read more »
How the Sunday Democratic debate is different than all the other debatesWhile this is the 11th Democratic presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle, it will be considerably different than the others.
Read more »
“A Quiet Place Part II” Will Hit Theaters Later Than Expected'I'm gonna wait to release the film til we CAN all see it together.'
Read more »
Nicole Scherzinger washes her hands in PVC outfit amid coronavirus fearsPussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger, 41, is using her social media platform to spread awareness about the troubling coronavirus pandemic
Read more »
President Trump Tells Americans to Stop Panic Buying, 'Relax!'Trump's telling people to only buy what they need amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more »