NIVA - National Independent Venue Association

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Preserving & nurturing the ecosystem of independent venues, promoters, & festivals across the US.

10/16/2026

Congratulations to Union Stage Presents and Jammin' Java on 25 years of independent live music! 💚

In 2001, the Brindley brothers took over Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia. It became an early stop for artists like Paramore, Bon Iver, and The Lumineers, and the foundation for a family business bringing live music to stages across the D.C. area.

They’re celebrating all month long, with a special homecoming this Saturday, October 17: the Brindley Brothers reunite on the Jammin Java stage for a 25th anniversary concert and party!

Join us in celebrating the Brindleys and the entire Union Stage Presents and Jammin Java team for 25 years of giving artists a stage and communities a place to come together. Here’s to many more! 👏

10/15/2026

A stronger future for independent stages starts with the work we do together.

The NIVA Live Policy Summit, presented by Tixel, returns to HI-FI in Indianapolis on October 26–27, bringing together independent venue operators, promoters, festivals, and advocates from across the country.

Through hands-on workshops, practical training, and conversations with policy and communications experts, we’ll build the relationships and skills to make our voices heard — from city halls to statehouses and beyond.

Join us to learn how to turn your story into effective advocacy, communicate across the political spectrum, and prepare for the policy opportunities and challenges ahead in 2027. Leave with tools you can put to work in your own community — and connections to others working to strengthen independent live entertainment nationwide. Space is limited.

The full schedule is out now. Explore the program and register at nivassoc.org/live-summit

09/26/2026

Big news from Kentucky: Governor Andy Beshear has established the Kentucky Governor’s Music Office.

Announced earlier tonight from the stage at an independent festival, Bourbon And Beyond in Louisville, the new office will support Kentucky’s artists, independent venues, festivals, and music businesses while strengthening jobs, tourism, and the state’s rich musical legacy.

This is what advocacy in action looks like. NIVA’s Kentucky chapter worked tirelessly for years to elevate the needs of the state’s independent live entertainment community. Governor Beshear and lawmakers from both parties listened — and turned that advocacy into meaningful action.

Kentucky’s new office is only the second dedicated music office housed within a governor’s office and one of fewer than 10 state music and live performance offices nationwide. We hope it becomes a model for governors and lawmakers across the country.

Raising a glass to NIVA Kentucky and everyone who helped reach this milestone. We look forward to working together to ensure independent stages have a seat at the table — and that Kentucky remains a place where artists can build careers, venues and festivals can thrive, and communities can come together through live music.

Read our full press release: https://www.nivassoc.org/statements/2026/governor-beshear-joins-independent-venue-festival-leaders-to-announce-kentucky-music-office-building-on-bipartisan-momentum

📸: Austin Cooper/Bourbon & Beyond

09/26/2026

From Huntsville to Seattle, and from a ticketing win in D.C. to a brand-new amphitheater on the San Pedro waterfront — independent is all over this year’s VenuesNow 2026 All-Stars list.

Congratulations to NIVA members: Alex Craig, Michael Dorf, Alex Hodges, Josh LaBelle, and NIVA Board President Audrey Fix Schaefer.

They’ve made venues a real part of their communities, grown without losing intimacy, kept shows within reach for families and younger fans, and secured real protections for ticket buyers. It’s the kind of work that gives independent live its staying power.

Cheers to them — and to every honoree on this year’s list. 👏

09/17/2026

The push to ban ghost tickets has new bipartisan momentum in the Senate.

Earlier this month, NIVA voiced strong support for Senator Ben Ray Luján's GHOST Act. Now Senator Shelley Moore Capito has joined him in championing this legislation.

“Ghost tickets” are advertised by resellers who don’t actually possess them. The GHOST Act would prohibit these deceptive sales nationwide, give federal and state authorities tools to enforce the ban, and create a way for fans to report suspected violations.

We thank Senators Luján and Capito for working across the aisle to protect ticket buyers. Congress should advance the GHOST Act and deliver real protections for fans, artists, and independent stages.

09/16/2026

Independent stages have always been destinations. Now the American Music Tourism Act has cleared Congress and awaits signature — a milestone NIVA and our members have reason to celebrate.

NIVA has backed this effort since it began in 2024. If enacted, the bill would give music tourism a national strategy that explicitly includes concerts, festivals, and venues of all sizes. Independent clubs and festival fields belong on the national tourism map.

Our State of Live research shows why: independent stages account for more than $10.6 billion in annual visitor spending. Fans who travel for a show also support local hotels, restaurants, shops, and jobs. The impact of independent live music reaches well beyond the stage.

This is a win for our members and the communities they help power. We’re proud to see this work move forward and ready to help bring the bill’s goals to life.

Read our full statement, released last night after the House passed the bill: https://www.nivassoc.org/statements/2026/niva-applauds-the-house-for-sending-the-american-music-tourism-act-to-the-presidents-desk

09/09/2026

A monopoly cannot be fixed by a settlement that leaves its power intact.

Last week, NIVA filed its formal comments urging the court to reject the proposed DOJ–Live Nation settlement. As written, the settlement leaves most venues and all multi-day, multi-artist festivals without meaningful protections, keeps Ticketmaster under Live Nation Concerts’ control, and does not deliver relief to the independent stages, artists, or fans harmed.

NIVA is calling for real, structural change:

→ A 50% cap on Live Nation-controlled promotion of any headline artist’s domestic tour dates
→ Divestiture of Ticketmaster
→ Divestiture of Live Nation’s artist management businesses
→ Funding to make independent stages whole

This is a historic opportunity to restore competition and put more power back in the hands of independent businesses, artists, and fans. The court should not settle for a remedy that preserves the status quo.

Swipe to read our full statement, and find NIVA’s complete comments at https://www.nivassoc.org/statements/2026/us-v-live-nation-proposed-settlement-niva-tunney-act-comments

09/09/2026

Big news for independent live music: Spanish Love Songs are hitting the road on the first-ever NIVA-certified Live Independent Tour — with all 19 shows taking place at independent venues across the country.

We’re proud to celebrate a band choosing the stages that help artists grow, bring fans together, and keep local music communities thriving. See you in an independent room. 🤘

09/04/2026

⏳ Less than one week remains to lock in First In Line pricing for !

This is the lowest registration rate we’ll offer — even lower than Early Bird. First In Line pricing ends next week on September 10, when registration will go offline until Early Bird launches in January.

Come for bold conversations, compelling programming, meaningful connections, and unforgettable live entertainment at some of Colorado’s most beloved independent venues — culminating with a final sendoff at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre.

Attendee hotel rates start as low as $229 per night, with booking links provided in your registration confirmation email.

Join us in Boulder, Colorado, June 27–July 1, 2027.

Register now: nivassoc.org/conference

09/03/2026

Ticket bots should not shut real fans out. Resellers should not be allowed to sell tickets they do not actually possess.

That’s why NIVA is applauding the advancement of the bipartisan MAIN Event Ticketing Act and strongly supporting Senator Ben Ray Luján’s newly introduced GHOST Act.

The MAIN Event Ticketing Act would strengthen the BOTS Act, make it easier for consumers to report suspected violations, improve data sharing with law enforcement, and bring greater accountability to federal enforcement.

The GHOST Act would establish a nationwide ban on speculative ticketing — the deceptive practice of listing or selling tickets a reseller does not possess — and give the FTC and state attorneys general the power to enforce it.

At the same time, NIVA continues to oppose the TICKET Act as written because it fails to fully prohibit speculative ticket sales or provide the stronger protections and enforcement that fans and independent stages need.

Congress has meaningful ticketing reforms in front of it. It’s time to pass the MAIN Event Ticketing Act and advance the GHOST Act.

Read NIVA’s full statement: https://www.nivassoc.org/statements/2026/niva-applauds-advancement-of-bipartisan-main-event-ticketing-act-and-urges-congress-to-act

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Washington D.C., DC
20002

Website

https://www.nivassoc.org/

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