ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)—Jeanne Stark and other live event professions came to the New York State Capital on Friday to remind the public and the state that their industry is suffering. Stark said they were the first to shut down at the start of the pandemic, and it looks like they will be the last to start back up.

Jeanne Stark on the western side of the New York State Capital Friday with a message reminding the public that her industry is still suffering.

Stark said Friday that 9% of the live event businesses have been forced to shut down completely.

One problem the live events industry is facing in New York State is a lack of guidelines from the state. Stark said at first they were hopeful when she and others were working with the state on guidelines for large events. After that failed, she said they had to come up with their own guidelines using what regulations the state has already approved of, like gatherings no large than 50 people.

The empty chairs represent just a few of the professions effected by the coronavirus shutdown.

What the industry needs most, Stark said Friday, is financial help. She said they have been surviving on unemployment, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which has now gone away, and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Stark said this isn’t enough considering they will have basically lost a year’s worth of business.