450+ Indie Venues Join NIVA In Fight To Survive Shutdowns

Independent Venue Week and 450 independent music venues and promoters in the US have formed the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to fight for their survival.

“Music venues were the first to close and will be the last to open,”

These venues and promoters usually guard their independence fiercely, but the pandemic which now brings them together threatens their existence.

“Music venues were the first to close and will be the last to open,” said Dayna Frank, NIVA board member and owner of First Avenue in Minneapolis. “It’s just brutal right now, and the future is predictable to no one. We can’t envision a world without these music venues, so we’ve created NIVA to fight for their ability to survive this shutdown, which we hear could go into 2021. Our first order of business is to push to secure federal funding to preserve the ecosystem of live music venues and touring artists.”

According to a 2016 IBISWorld study, the live music industry produced $23.5 billion in annual revenue. With the complete and sudden shutdown, all venues and their communities have been dealt a devastating blow with revenues totally halted, but the overhead has not.

“Independent venues and promoters have a unique set of circumstances that require specialized assistance, so we’ve banded together and secured a powerhouse lobbying firm,” said Gary Witt, CEO of Pabst Theater Group and founding member of NIVA. “Akin Gump has been tapped to represent us, and that telegraphs to Capitol Hill that our needs are serious. Most of us have gone from our best year ever to a dead stop in revenues, but our expenses and overhead are still real, and many will not make it without help. Our employees, the artists, and the fans need us to act. But we are also an important income generator for those around us, bringing revenue to area restaurants, bars, hotels, and retail shops. Our contributions to the tax base far exceed our ticket sales.”

450 Venues In 43 States

“If the number of venues and promoters that signed up for NIVA membership in the first three days is an indicator – 450 venues in 43 states and Washington, D.C. – we can say the independent venues and promoters might be in dire straits, but they’re motivated to fight for their survival,” said Rev. Moose, co-founder of NIVA and managing partner of Marauder which runs Independent Venue Week in the U.S. “In addition to going to Capitol Hill to seek funds, NIVA will also offer key survival tools to members by sharing resources, information, and providing guidance on the Small Business Administration’s Payroll Protection Program.”

See Tickets and Lyte have made contributions to fund NIVA’s membership launch and initial lobbying effort.

NIVA is seeking additional sponsorship from organizations wishing to support its mission to assist independent venues and promoters. Said Witt, “NIVA will grow to become a fantastic advocate and nurturer of independent venues and promoters after the pandemic. Survival today, prosperity tomorrow.”

Independent venues and promoters can join NIVA here: NIVA Membership.

View the expanding list of 450+ participating members from 43 states here: NIVA Members.