Virus Theater Receives Grant Silver City’s nonprofit performing arts group, Virus Theater, announced this week that a $7,500 grant that it received from the New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) in July will help meet the groups’ operating costs through the end of this year. Five years ago, the theater group purchased the historic El Sol Theater in downtown Silver City, where it has held performances and community events since opening its doors in 2016, relying on ticket sales and theater rental fees to cover its operating costs. The NMHC grant relieves some of the financial pressures of having to keep the space closed for the past six months, according to Co-Executive Directors Jessa Tumposky and Kristen Warnack.
“While theaters are struggling and even closing for good across the country, our community can rest assured that when this is all over, El Sol Theater will still be there, and so will Virus Theater,” Warnack said.
“Thanks in part to this grant, El Sol will still host the kinds of engaging, thought-provoking performances that people have come to expect from Virus Theater.” Warnack added that plans are still on track to transform El Sol Theater into a community performing arts space that can also host live performances by traveling artists.
A total of $433,800 in CARES Act grants were awarded to 68 New Mexico cultural nonprofit organizations, using funds provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). NMHC’s Grant Committee estimates that theater groups, historical societies, museums, community centers, libraries and other humanities-based organizations across the state are facing combined losses of between $6.5 million and $7 million as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Tumposky added that, creatively, Virus Theater has adapted itself to the social restrictions imposed by the state’s public health emergency orders, and is in the process of producing several new original works to be made available through a variety of online platforms such as YouTube and a soon-to-be-announced Virus Theater Patreon page. Virus Theater’s Board of Directors also announced the launch of the group’s new website: virustheater.com.
“Grants like the one from the New Mexico Humanities Council make it possible for us to forge a path through the strange times we are all living in and continue to produce innovative creative work. Virus Theater is looking ahead and working harder than ever on our goals of expanding our reach, diversifying our work and growing its quality, and expanding our educational programs. Without income from live performances, we need your donations and/or your support as Patrons on Patreon more than ever,” noted Tumposky.