Layoffs, Furloughs Hit Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

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The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the latest music-related company to experience a round of layoffs and furloughs as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to temporarily close their doors for the past few months.

The Country Music Hall of Fame has laid off 73 employees and furloughed 101 staffers, effective June 18. The layoffs and furloughs extend across all departments, and represent nearly half of the approximately 400 employees working for the Country Music Hall of Fame and its associated services.

“We were forced to make this difficult decision by a challenging business environment unprecedented in the museum’s history. Since closing March 13, the museum has lost millions of dollars in budgeted revenue,” said Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young. “Our economic setbacks, coupled with the uncertainties of the future related to the pandemic, make it necessary to take these measures now to protect the institution and ensure its future.”

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently announced it will be closed through the end of June, including ancillary programs such as Hatch Show Print, Historic RCA Studio B, the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Taylor Swift Education Center. Last year, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum broke an attendance record, with 1,297,433 visitors touring the museum, RCA Studio B and Hatch Show Print in 2019, marking the fifth consecutive year the Hall had welcomed more than 1 million visitors.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently launched an interactive songwriting program, titled the Songwriter Sessions, and also brought its Words & Music program to Instagram Live.

Jessica Nicholson
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