PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) – While many industries have reopened their doors to some capacity after the COVID-19 shutdown, independent venues will be the last to reopen, threatening their survival.
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), formed at the onset of COVID-19, has close to 2,000 members across the country and are working hard to get Congress to take quick action to address their unique circumstances.
NIVA has set up "Save Our Stages" and is encouraging everyone to support legislation to save their venues.
"The complete and instant shut down of every venue is devastating. Revenues have ceased, but overhead hasn't," said Dayna Frank, NIVA president and CEO of First Avenue Productions in Minneapolis. " We're fighting for the future of our industry, our beloved venues and our communities. This is the one time we're asking for assistance to do that. Without it, we fail. With it, we can once again be the gathering places that bring back our communities. With it, we will stand on our own feet and once again generate economic gains for businesses around us and the tax base of our towns and cities."
Unlike restaurants, movie theaters and other businesses that have begun reopening, venues are still in lockdown, and will continue to be until the entire nation is open to full capacity, and music tours begin again.
Therefore, NIVA members have had no revenue coming in, but the expenses have not stopped.
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