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NYS Policy Playbook - Creatives Rebuild New York

New York Isn’t New York Without Artists is a policy playbook commissioned by CRNY and authored by HR&A Advisors following a year-long process of engaging policymakers, artists, and organizers across New York State. It is intended to be a long-term, step-by-step program for lawmakers at all levels of government to reference as they enact policies that empower artists, a labor force integral to the state’s economy but one that is often on the edge of hardship and economic uncertainty. Artists and creative workers require additional resources and labor protections to continue working and serving communities statewide, and improved policy can help to improve conditions for all workers in the state.

This range is intentionally expansive, inviting policymakers to consider creative workers not only as critical constituents but also as central to New York’s identity and economy. Scroll through the recommendations below, or download the full Policy Playbook for details on how artists, advocates, and municipal and state lawmakers can come together to support New York’s creative workforce.

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A Policy Playbook to Strengthen New York's Creative Workforce and Grow a Just, Creative Economy for All

Housing and Financial Security Policies

1. Ensure strong tenant protections and anti-displacement measures are part of the New York Housing Compact

2. Incentivize the development of affordable housing in cultural districts across New York State

3. Pass the New York State Working Families Tax Credit

4. Create a statewide guaranteed income program

Labor Policies

5. Pass critical worker protection laws for non-traditional workers 

6. Expand eligibility, enforcement, and effective implementation of the Freelance Isn’t Free Act

7. Establish a grant program to fund portable benefits pilot programs and financial security tools for creative workers

Workforce Development Policies

8. Create artist employment programs to address environmental, health, and safety needs in communities

9. Develop training programs to increase access to fast-growing creative industry jobs

10. Expand accessible internship and apprenticeship opportunities within cultural institutions

11. Conduct a biennial census of creative workers in New York

Economic Development Policies

12. Increase public funding for economic development projects that integrate arts and culture

13. Invest in the capacity of Community Development Financial Institutions to expand access to capital for arts organizations and creative entrepreneurs

14. Expand navigation support to identify resources for creative and cultural spaces at risk of displacement

Arts and Culture Policies

15. Legislate prevailing wage standards for artists working on publicly-funded arts and culture projects 

16. Scale up direct, flexible, and equitable public funding for individual artists, culture-bearers, and creative workers

17. Increase public funding for culturally diverse arts and culture organizations

18. Reform tax policy to create dedicated revenue for arts and culture

Cross Cutting Strategy

19. Form an intergovernmental working group charged with developing a statewide Creative Economy Strategic Plan

A photo of a group of nonprofit arts professionals seated in a circle of chairs on a stage. Around them are some posterboards with post-it notes. In the center...
Photo credit: HR&A Advisors
A workshop to refine policy goals and recommendations included state and local policymakers, artists, and leaders across public, private, and non-profit sectors. This workshop was held at Teatro SEA at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center on May 15, 2024.

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Voices for Creative New York

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Voices for Creative New York provides a blueprint for the creation of a statewide collaborative focused on arts advocacy and creative worker organizing. Five organizations will lead the planning process after CRNY has closed.
Today, Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY) released a detailed plan outlining steps New York State and local governments can take to implement policies geared toward supporting artists and creative workers in New York. New York’s cultural sector accounts for nearly $144 billion in economic activity and is powered by 450,000 jobs.
New York’s cultural sector accounted for 7.6% of its GDP, about $144B, in economic activity, powered by 450,000 jobs. However, despite their outsized impact, many creative workers can’t make ends meet. 60% of artists in our state are making less than $25K, and more than half of have no financial safety net and carry unmanageable debt.

Art Takes Work

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A six-week, statewide campaign and film designed to build awareness about the lives and livelihoods of artists, and to drive stakeholders to advocate for timely, actionable policy solutions for cultural workers.

NYS Cash Alliance

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Creatives Rebuild New York founded the New York State Cash Alliance alongside over 20 member organizations collaboratively leading the way for unrestricted cash policies across the state.