Arts & Entertainment
Regent Theatre Makes Plea To Congress, Seeks Donations
The Arlington theater is seeking $50,000 in donations and says without the support of Congress, many independent venues will shut down.
ARLINGTON, MA — The Regent Theatre is calling on Arlingtonians to help get it and other theaters like it included in the next stimulus bill. The 104-year-old theater is a member of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), which was formed to try to save independent venues and promoters across the country.
NIVA is asking legislators to support the RESTART Act, a bill introduced by Senators Todd Young and Michael Bennet and Representatives Michael Kelly and Jared Kelly that would tailor the PPP program to work for businesses like the Regent that have zero revenue, high overhead and no clear timeline for reopening.
"Without support from Congress, 90 percent of NIVA's independent venues, festivals & promoters across America say they will be forced to close their doors forever," a statement on the Regent's website reads.
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The theater has also started a GoFundMe page, which is more than halfway to its $50,000 goal.
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