The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) Unveils "Live Independent" Program Marking A New Era For Independent Venues, Promoters, And Festivals
The Groundbreaking Certification Program In Partnership with Bandsintown Identifies and Supports the Independent Live Entertainment Community
(September 10, 2024) – Today, The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) announces the launch of “Live Independent”, a groundbreaking certification program that elevates and safeguards independent venues, promoters, and festivals nationwide. Supported by the industry-leading live event discovery platform Bandsintown, the new initiative is designed to enhance the quality and sustainability of independent live entertainment, while preserving the authentic and unique spirit that defines these cultural hubs.
The “Live Independent” certification program represents a major milestone in the effort to strengthen and unify the independent live entertainment community. By offering a seal of certification that recognizes excellence and commitment to the independent ethos, NIVA creates a more resilient and vibrant landscape for music, comedy, and performance enthusiasts nationwide.
“These independent venues are so important because without them, you wouldn't have your Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor Swift. You wouldn't have these artists because we all had to start somewhere. We had to build from something. And these places are integral to the building of an actual artist. Without them we have no artists, we have no future music makers. We have no future Prince or those people that really rock the stadium. Because before you rock the stadium, you have to rock your local clubs first. You’ve just got to do it. It’s a right of passage,” said Tarriona "Tank" Ball from Tank and the Bangas.
The certification will offer numerous benefits to stages, artists, and fans, key features including:
The Seal: Certified venues and events receive physical posters, stickers, and decals of the “Live Independent” seal to display, along with virtual seals and assets for websites, marketing, and social media. Partnerships with ticketing companies also enable the “Live Independent” seal to be displayed on event tickets, further elevating visibility and credibility.
LiveIndependent.com: The program will include a dedicated website serving as a hub of information, emphasizing the importance of supporting certified “Live Independent” venues and events. Fans can use the site’s search feature to verify if their favorite venue is certified and find shows at certified stages. Stages can even apply to become certified themselves.
Bandsintown Partnership: As the world’s leading concert discovery platform with 90 million registered live music fans and a distribution network including Spotify, Google, Apple, Shazam and Bing, Bandsintown is committed to educating fans about what “Live Independent” means and promoting independent venues through dedicated placements on the Bandsintown app and Bandsintown.com. Every NIVA-member independent venue will have the “Live Independent” seal on their Bandsintown venue page, and a map of “Live Independent” certified venues will be featured on Bandsintown’s homepage to help fans locate and support these independent entities across the country.
The “Live Independent” certification program launch coincides with YouTube Foundry’s Music Nights, set to take place tonight at The Troubadour in Los Angeles and October 23 at Cannery Hall in Nashville. These events, held in partnership with NIVA, will showcase both current and former Foundry artists, further underscoring the importance of independent venues in nurturing and spotlighting emerging talent.
"This certification is a testament to the power of independent stages as sanctuaries for human connection. In an era dominated by publicly-traded live entertainment conglomerates, these venues and festivals are the final strongholds of authenticity, where the heart of live performance beats strongest,” said Stephen Parker, Executive Director of NIVA. “When fans and artists choose independent stages, they’re investing in the soul of their community. Live Independent is our collective promise—to the artists, to the fans, and to the communities that cherish these spaces—that the spirit of independent venues will not only endure but will continue to flourish."
Eligibility for the “Live Independent” certification is open to independent venues, promoters, and festivals that demonstrate:
A mission centered around delivering music, comedy, and performance to audiences.
Fair payment practices for all artists, performers, and creators.
Independence from multinational conglomerates or publicly traded companies.
Support for a transparent, competitive marketplace and a diverse, inclusive community.
A commitment to protecting and preserving independent stages through NIVA membership.
“Bandsintown’s ethos is independent at the core, serving artists since day 1 of their journey” says Bandsintown co-founder and managing partner Fabrice Sergent. “Independent venues shed light on those artists early in their career and we’re proud to work alongside NIVA to help them find the audience they deserve.”
For more information on the “Live Independent” certification program, including details on how to apply and the specific benefits of certification, please visit www.LiveIndependent.com.
ABOUT NIVA
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is the national trade association representing thousands of independent live entertainment venues, festivals, promoters, and more. NIVA works to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of live entertainment. NIVA empowers members and their teams with member benefits, advocacy on the state, local, and federal levels, an annual industry-leading conference, and more.
NIVA led the Save Our Stages campaign, culminating in landmark legislation in 2020 that established the $16.25 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, the largest arts investment in U.S. history.
NIVA is committed to equity in its support of independent stages. It seeks to create and encourage opportunities for venues, promoters, and festivals owned, operated, and staffed by people of color, women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, veterans, and people with disabilities.
ABOUT BANDSINTOWN
Bandsintown is the largest concert discovery platform in the world, with 650,000 registered artists, 90 million registered live music fans and integrates its tour dates into Spotify, Apple Maps, Shazam, Google, and more. Bandsintown delivers 5 billion personalized event recommendations and 240 million direct ticket clicks yearly.
In addition to free marketing and event distribution tools for artists, Bandsintown PRO offers critical marketing solutions used by thousands of venues, promoters, and music marketers worldwide.
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CONTACT
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