NIVA - National Independent Venue Association

Exciting news! #NIVA25 is coming to Milwaukee in June 2025! ?? With over 1,300 attendees at #NIVA24 in New Orleans, we’re thrilled to bring our fourth annual conference to Milwaukee. This vibrant city, known for its incredible independent venues, will host panels, programming, and unforgettable performances. Join us as we unite the independent live entertainment community once again. Stay tuned for more details on programming and early bird badge registration. Let’s make #NIVA25 the best yet! ?? For more info and updates: nivassoc.org/conference

Thank you for your incredible support in launching the #LiveIndependent certification program today! ?? This new initiative aims to highlight and preserve the independent stages that are the heart of live entertainment. Like "Buy Local" or "Shop Small," choosing Live Independent supports the venues, promoters, and festivals that nurture emerging talent and keep the spirit of live music alive. Let's continue to amplify these vital cultural spaces together! Learn more and find venues to support at LiveIndependent.com

?? ???????????????? ????????: Today marks the launch of #LiveIndependent, a groundbreaking certification program from NIVA that elevates independent venues, promoters, and festivals across the country. Supported by Bandsintown Group, this initiative aims to preserve the unique spirit of these cultural hubs, ensuring their sustainability and visibility in an increasingly conglomerated industry. ?????? ???? ??????????????: Independent venues are the lifeblood of live entertainment, fostering creativity and community while providing artists with their first stages. These venues play a crucial role in shaping the cultural landscape and deserve recognition and support. By officially certifying these stages, we ensure that fans can easily identify and support the spaces that keep the spirit of live music alive. ?????? ???? ??????????: Certification is open to independent venues, promoters, and festivals that meet certain criteria, ensuring they stand out and fans know they're supporting the true heart of live music. The program includes physical and digital seals, a dedicated website, and enhanced visibility through Bandsintown to connect certified venues with 90 million registered live music fans and a distribution network including Spotify, Google, Apple, Shazam, and Microsoft's Bing. The launch of Live Independent coincides with YouTube Foundry’s Music Nights, kicking off tonight at The Doug Weston's Troubadour in Los Angeles and continuing on October 23 at Cannery Hall in Nashville. These events, held in partnership with NIVA, will feature both current and former Foundry artists, underscoring the vital role independent venues play in spotlighting emerging talent. Join us in celebrating and supporting independent venues nationwide. Learn more about how you can get involved at LiveIndependent.com View the entire press release on the NIVA website: https://lnkd.in/enkADfeq

?? Bid to Win! ?? To celebrate 10 years of unforgettable shows, HI-FI is launching its exclusive eBay Archive! Now is your chance to score signed posters and rare live music memorabilia from the bands and artists who have rocked the HI-FI stage. In honor of this milestone, a portion of every sale will be donated to the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) to support the independent live music scene and keep the magic alive! ? Visit this link https://vist.ly/3mfypre to check out these gems, and follow HI-FI on eBay and social media for new listings! #IndianapolisMusic #SuppotLocalMusic #IndependentVenues

SAVE THE DATE: Get ready for #NIVA25 ?? We're thrilled to announce that NIVA '25 is heading to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from June 23-25, 2025, with an opening party on June 22! Join us for our fourth annual conference where independent live entertainment takes center stage. Milwaukee’s vibrant music scene and iconic venues are ready to welcome you. Stay tuned for more details on programming, registration, and how you can be part of this incredible gathering of industry professionals: nivassoc.org/conference

When Yelp’s integration with a scammy ticket reseller put fans, artists, and independent venues at risk with fake tickets and price-gouging, we took action. After we called this out, Yelp ended this deceptive practice. This is a win for the independent live community, but our work continues. NIVA remains committed to protecting independent stages and the artists who make live entertainment possible. Together, we’re making real change for our industry.

Join PYGMALION in celebrating their 20th anniversary, September 19–21, 2024, in Urbana, IL! ?? On Saturday, September 21, NIVA Board President Andre Perry will serve as guest moderator for the panel "The Price of Performance: Corporate Control of Live Music" at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Featuring industry veterans Dean Wareham, Bob Mould, Rose Marshack, and Lisa Gottheil, this panel will explore the challenges and dynamics of corporate influence on live music.?Details: https://lnkd.in/ePEc2kwz We hope to see you there! More info: https://lnkd.in/eN5JajVt

Online ticket resellers are wreaking havoc on independent venues, artists, and fans by inflating prices and pushing fake tickets, diverting money away from the people who make live music possible. This issue isn’t just happening in New Orleans — it's a nationwide crisis. Check out this article from NOLA.com's Gambit to learn more about the impact of ticket resellers and how we're fighting back in New Orleans and beyond: https://lnkd.in/eambhZKH The #FixTheTix Coalition is leading the charge to bring transparency and fairness back to the ticketing industry. We're urging Congress to pass the #FansFirstAct, a critical step towards protecting fans and preserving the integrity of live entertainment. Join our effort to bring change to the industry at fixthetix.org

?? Exciting news! NIVA's PanelPicker submission for SXSW 2025, "Small Stages, Big Impact: Saving Indie Stages for Artists," has been accepted and is now up for voting! This panel will focus on the crucial role independent venues play in the live entertainment ecosystem and how we can protect these spaces for the next generation of artists. ??? Community Voting is open until August 18 at 11:59PM PT, and we need your support to make this panel a reality! ?? Cast your vote and help us bring this important conversation to #SXSW: https://lnkd.in/erVNF-4r

Independent Artists ?? Independent Venues NIVA is thrilled to partner with YouTube Music and their independent music incubator program, Foundry. Since 2015, Foundry has supported over 250 global artists like Dua Lipa and ROSALíA, providing resources to help them thrive. The first three Foundry artists of 2024 are Cash Cobain, Orion Sun, and Tommy Richman —?with more to come! For the first time, YouTube Music Nights will feature live performances from Foundry artists at independent venues across the country. The first events will be at Doug Weston's Troubadour in Los Angeles?on September 10th?and Cannery Hall in Nashville on?October 23rd, showcasing both former and current Foundry talent, with lineups?to be announced soon. This collaboration coincides with the launch of NIVA's Live Independent initiative, aimed at championing and elevating independent venues, festivals, and promoters by enhancing their visibility and preserving the stages where artists' careers begin. Join us in celebrating the vibrant future of independent live entertainment and music! Stay tuned for more details about this partnership.