Governor Laura Kelly Announces Kansas Entertainment Venues to Receive Nearly $46 Million in Federal Grants

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced that the Small Business Administration allocated 90 grant awards totaling $45.7 million to Kansas venues through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program.

Administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance, the SVOG provides emergency assistance for venues affected by COVID-19 such as live entertainment venues, theaters, museums or cultural institutions.

“Kansas’ many entertainment venues employ thousands of people, boost our economy, and are important parts of our communities,” Governor Kelly said. “I want to thank our federal partners at the SBA for distributing this necessary and important grant funding to ensure our entertainment venues can continue to grow and thrive as centers of culture, activities, and tourism in Kansas.”

The grants can be used for payroll costs, rent, utilities, scheduled mortgage payments and more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15,166 Kansas establishments closed in 2020 and it’s imperative to ensure that as many as possible can keep their doors open through this funding opportunity.

In Kansas, 90 grants have been awarded to local theaters, museums, live venue operators, motion picture operators and talent representative businesses.

“These dollars will be significant difference-makers in keeping venues across Kansas open for business,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “Venues were especially hard hit by the pandemic, and we strongly support the SBA’s work to get liquidity to those venues that add so much to the rich fabric of their communities, as well as our history and culture statewide.”

The SBA continues to accept applications from eligible venue applicants in Kansas and more information can be found here.