AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Just days after South By Southwest 2020 was canceled, one third of the company's full-time staff is being laid off.
The company made the announcement Monday evening. The layoffs are said to include 58 people.
In a statement, the company cited the "unprecedented and unexpected" cancellation of its 2020 events. "Those of us in the business of live events know the level of trust required to execute an event of SXSW's scale, and we are deeply sad to let people go this soon. We are planning for the future and this was a necessary, but heartbreaking step."
City officials declared a local state of disaster Friday, effectively canceling SXSW's March events. Monday, city officials further clarified the restrictions on "mass gatherings", saying any large events set for 2,500 people or more would be prohibited through May 1 unless sufficient steps were taken to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.