Systemic Failure: Virus Shutdown Highlights Precariousness Of Arts Economic Model

The economic fallout of the virus has made the disparity betweenemployed workers and independent contractors clearer than ever. New Yorkhas a paid-sick-leave law, but it does not cover contract workers. Manyfreelance workers in the arts have high self-employment taxes andhealth-insurance costs; they do not have 401(k) matching programs oremployer-backed disability insurance, or severance when work is calledoff. If artists have health insurance through a guild or a union,coverage is usually depen