New York Independent Venue Association Launches #SaveOurStages Day of Action

The New York Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has just launched a day of action to #SaveOurStages. Their official statements reads:

We are asking for our congresspeople and our community to support two bills that could save our industry: Save Our Stages Act and Restart Act, two bills that have been introduced and can ensure the survival of independent venues across the nation.

Over 150 Independent venues in New York City have come together to form the New York Independent Venue Association in affiliation with the newly formed National Independent Venue Association. On August 4th, we will be calling for a day of action to seek support for our current very pressing issues.

Music venues were the first to close and we will be the last to re-open. Most venues are at risk of going out of business if nothing is done.

On average, a venue will need $300,000 to sustain itself if they are to remain closed until 2021. ($60 million for the industry in aggregate)

On average, a NY venue already has $150,000 their landlord could claim in arrears and more than 80% of venues have no definitive arrangement with their landlords.

Live streaming has yet to become a viable source of revenue. The average NY venue's monthly profit from F&B, live streams, and merchandise comes out to $375 (after labor and cost of goods).

We are disastrously close to losing NY's cultural lifeblood. Nationally, over 1.5 million live music lovers have written letters to their elected officials via SaveOurStages.com, but it's not enough. Our voices are powerful and we must ensure our elected officials realize that no action will result in the forfeiture of NY's cultural identity.

Formed at the onset of the COVID-19 shutdown, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), now represents more than 2,000 members in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. These independent venues and promoters were the first to close and will be the last to fully reopen. NIVA's mission is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live music venues, promoters and festivals throughout the United States.

For additional information, visit: www.saveourstages.com