Photo Credit: Blaine Schultz
RIverside Emergency Marquee
As many local music venues are looking at little to no programming for possibly the remainder of 2020, the Pabst Theater Group, along with the recently formed National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), are looking to Congress for federal assistance to help keep their businesses open. Without support from at least one of the two bills currently introduced to Congress, roughly 90% of NIVA’s 2400 member venues believe they will have to close permanently. More than 70 Wisconsin venues and festivals are members of NIVA, with 17 residing in the city of Milwaukee.
Unlike many other local establishments, concert venues will be some of the last institutions to be able to reopen their doors for business as usual, seeing as their primary source of income deals with mass gatherings. NIVA works with venues that do not have an associated parent company, such as Live Nation, who are affiliated with venues like Alpine Valley Music Theater locally. The organization also cites a recent Chicago study that estimates that for every dollar spent at a local music venue, $12 of economic activity is seen by surrounding bars, restaurants, and other businesses.
The current bills on the floor of Congress are the Save Our Stages Act, introduced by senators John Cornyn and Amy Klobuchar, along with the RESTART Act, which was introduced by senators Todd Young and Michael Bennet, as well as representatives Jarred Golden and Mike Kelly. While the bills were introduced by bipartisan leadership, and as Congress looks to recess soon while constructing their latest relief efforts, the fate of live entertainment support is hanging in the balance.
The Pabst Theater Group, along with the members of NIVA, are asking would-be concert-goers to write letters to their local representation on Tuesday via SaveOurStages.com, a website established by the organization to generate awareness. More than 600 artists have also signed a letter to Congress, spanning across many genres of music and stand-up comedy, as well.
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You can find out more about the National Independent Venue Association at their website.
