Hotel owners seek a federal bailout or risk collapse, the arts sector faces a brain drain, and The Fresh Prince mansion welcomes guests home to Bel-Air. All this and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
More than 60 artists get out the vote
Vote.org has launched a new nonpartisan initiative aimed to boost voter participation through art. More than 60 contemporary artists have been tasked with reimagining original work through a new emphasis on voting. Guerilla Girls, Jenny Holzer, Kambui Olujimi, Wangechi Mutu, Sanford Biggers, and Leidy Churchman are among the artists enhancing the message of Vote.org through “a strong visual vocabulary.” The catalog of artwork is free to download and the full list of participating artists and organizations can be reviewed here.
Hotel owners demand bailout
Some of President Trump’s wealthiest donors in the American hotel sector are finding themselves desperate for financial aid amid mounting uncertainty in the hospitality industry. The New York Times reports that billionaire Thomas J. Barrack Jr. is struggling to make payments on nearly $2 billion in Wall Street debt used to purchase more than 160 hotels. Monty Bennett also recently halted payments on the $2.6 billion debt he accrued to acquire his own collection of hotels. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has not yet made steps toward spreading some of the $454 billion in funds for coronavirus relief to assist the hotel industry, despite the thousands of jobs and local economies a financial rescue could save. Lobbyists and industry stakeholders fear the sector risks collapse.
America’s arts sector continues to thin
As the pandemic continues to illuminate inequality throughout the industry, the cultural sector has been hit hard, losing 1.4 million job losses and $42.5 billion in sales between April 1st and July 31st. Artnet.com reports that data sourced for a new report from the Brookings Institution is echoed in findings from New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs by Southern Methodist University, which reveals that nearly 15,000 workers were laid off or furloughed from 810 cultural institutions citywide during just two weeks between April and May of this year. Additionally, a UBS Global Market Report found that gallery sales have shrunk by nearly 36 percent in New York. As institutions slowly reemerge, the need to train a flood of new employees could likely drive operational costs skyward nearly 50 percent. Amid the dwindling field and the decision by some graduate programs to temporarily pause, recruitment in the once competitive field is now historically scarce.
Airbnb welcomes guests to the Fresh Prince mansion
Now, this is a story all about how your life can get flipped-turned upside down and I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there, I’ll tell you all about how you can be the prince of a town called Bel Air. (Thank you.) The mansion from the establishing shot we all know and love from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has entered the Airbnb market at $30 a night as part of a promotion of the show’s 30th anniversary, Hypebeast reports. Located in the ritzy Los Angeles suburb of Brentwood, the mansion is available starting September 29th, when five groups of two will be selected to stay at the house for one night each. Guests will have to prove they’re residents of LA County to limit COVID-19 spread. Geoffrey Butler not included.
Drink It In
Good to the last drop, HD’s annual F&B issue is here! In this year’s issue, chefs and restaurateurs reflect on the impact of COVID-19 on the F&B industry as well as the power of food and community. More than a dozen bars, restaurants, and cafés are also spotlighted for their standout designs, while a handful of remote destinations indulge escapism and consider the evolving needs of travelers worldwide. Read the full issue here.
