NADA urges New York officials to support small galleries amid pandemic

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) has published an open letter on Change.org addressed to New York officials including Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, the New York City Council, and the New York State House, demanding financial relief for small and mid-sized galleries during the COVID-19 lockdown. The letter states that most art galleries are small businesses with employees, artist networks, and freelancers dependent on sales revenue, and that the ongoing loss of income makes it increasingly difficult to support staff and artists. Without government support, these businesses cannot pay employees, support artists, or cover rent and mortgages. The letter criticizes existing relief initiatives launched by Mayor de Blasio on March 8—the NYC Employee Retention Grant Program and the NYC Small Business Continuity Fund—for having eligibility requirements that exclude many galleries, such as demonstrating a 25% revenue drop due to COVID-19. NADA argues that galleries generate income through irregular commercial invoices, not predictable retail sales like other small businesses. The alliance calls for specific measures including concessions, exemptions, and temporary freezes on mortgage and utility payments to help galleries survive the lockdown and continue contributing to New York's cultural landscape.