Small venues across the world are hurting pretty significantly now that tours are cancelled and people aren't going out for a drink or two (or seven). Fortunately there's The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), whose goal is to help keep the venues alive as COVID-19 absolutely decimates the world economy.
According to the MetalSucks, NIVA is backed by "powerhouse lobbying firm" Akin Gump to help represent these venues and promoters in Washington D.C.
National Independent Venue Association is securing financial support to preserve the national ecosystem of independent venues and promoters. These entertainment hubs are critical to their local economies and tax bases as employers, tourism destinations, and revenue generators for neighboring businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and retail. Independent venues exist in every state across the country; they were the first to be closed, they will be the last to open. The economic recovery process will extend past just reopening the front doors, requiring solutions unique to the industry.
So far venues like Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club, Minneapolis’ First Avenue and Philadelphia’s World Cafe Live haveall signed on to potentially be a part of NIVA. To be eligible for NIVA, venues must not be owned, sponsored,run, or exclusively booked by a multinational corporation or publicly-traded company. These venues must also have year-round programming primarily consisting of original live music
Sign up here.
