S.F. No. 5491 Summary

• Establishes a live musical theater production grant pilot program administered by the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development for productions in Minnesota venues with at least 1,000 seats that will premiere on Broadway.

• Eligible venues must hold a temporary theater lease and hire equal numbers of local union stagehands, wardrobe, hair and make-up workers, and live orchestra players as nonlocal workers.

• Qualifying in-state production costs include talent salaries, set and wardrobe construction, music preparation, facility rentals, advertising, and other direct theater production expenses.

• Appropriates $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, with individual grants capped at $250,000 or 25 percent of in-state production budget incurred within a six-month period.

• Five percent of appropriated funds may be used for administration, including independent audits and financial reviews, with applicants required to submit verified documentation of eligible costs within 90 days of production completion.