A Tall Order: Strategic Pitches Ensure Media Coverage for Historic Arts Venue During COVID-19

Devastation from two of the world’s pandemics–the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic pandemic that followed in its wake–is well known. In the US, despite recent gains, the economy is setting dismal growth records and joblessness. There are roughly 20 million Americans without jobs, per the US Department of Labor. As of Nov. 25, nearly every state in the US is experiencing rises in coronavirus cases. More than 265,000 are dead of the virus and the Nov. 26 Thanksgiving holiday, and other factors, could spur another spike in infections.

Even worse, lawmakers have left Washington for Thanksgiving without agreeing on a relief package for the unemployed or a stimulus plan for struggling businesses.

In short, Americans are concerned most about their financial and physical health. The arts, perceived as a luxury in good times, is far down the priority list now.

City-owned Newark Symphony Hall was placed on the Registry of Historic Places in 1977.

For this story, we visited the web site of Newark Symphony Hall (NSH), the Garden State’s largest arts venue and one of its oldest.