PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — After months of economic devastation, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County is offering a month of deals
Marjorie Waldo, the CEO of Arts Garage in Delray Beach, is used to putting on a production.
“We usually do about 250 events a year,” Waldo said. “We produce tons of different kinds of art."
COVID-19 caused the curtains to temporarily close. However, her team’s creativity didn’t. At first, they took the virtual route.
“People were getting a full performance they were just watching from their living room, about mid-September we were able to add a live audience,” Waldo said.
She said that wasn’t enough to offset their losses.
“The revenue I receive in a month, equals what I used to receive in a day,” Waldo said.
Dave Lawrence is the President of Cultural Council for Palm Beach County.
“Here in Palm Beach County the impact is over $48 million in losses to cultural organizations since March 1st,” Lawrence said.
He says the $600 million industry is down 25 percent compared to last year. Giving them the idea to kick-off tourism season with what’s usually an off-season deal.
“Typically, in the month of May we offer MOSAIC, which is a month of shows, arts, ideas, and culture and because of the pandemic we’ve expanded that to months of shows, arts, ideas, and culture,” he said.
MOSAIC comes with discounts on more than a dozen attractions including "The South Florida Science Center,” "Loggerhead Marine Life Center,” and "Mounts Botanical Gardens”.
Some events are virtual, and all attractions encourage the CDC guidelines.
However, as COVID cases creep back up Waldo worries about the permanent damage it could leave behind on the industry.
“For us, everything is at stake,” Waldo said. Everything is on the line.”
The mosaic deals run through December 31st.
For more information click here.