Unemployment In The Arts

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of July 17, 2020, Texas is looking at an unemployment rate of 8.6% of the labor force.

In general that means that for every 1000 capable workforce people, there are 86 currently unemployed.

As often tends to be the case, the creative business sector tends to feel it early on. That is especially true for those working in studio/fine arts such as studio artists and those businesses that cater to studio artists.

So our team at VCS (Visiona Creative Studios) thought it would be useful to offer some guidance on what to do if you are one of the 8.6% of the unemployed in Texas. First, get familiar with the Department of Labor information on unemployment benefits available.

Next, take a look at the Texas Workforce Commission to begin the process of filing for unemployment, if you qualify to apply.

Now, here’s the rub: As you may be aware, TWC has not been easy to reach and has been infamously hard to communicate with for many during this COVID-19 pandemic. Some people report that they have attempted to reach the TWC, with no success, 60+ times. So, what do you do if you find yourself in that situation? Contact your elected officials!

We’ve found Govtrack.us to be a quick way to find your senator and representative for your area.

According to what we’ve heard from those dealing with unemployment, who have gone through the above process, it has been important to be polite and persistent.

Remember the two old sayings:

• The squeaky wheel gets the grease. ← Be Persistent
• You attract more flies with honey than vinegar. ← Be Polite

Photo by Khara Woods on Unsplash