Spotify, NIVA Highlight Importance Of Indie Venues To Live Music Ecosystem
Spotify and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) are teaming up with music streaming platform Spotify in a bid to help save independent music venues across the U.S. as they struggle with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the live events industry.
As part of Spotify’s annual Wrapped Campaign, which launched on Tuesday, the streamer is shedding light on the plight of independent venues by taking over space on the marquees of more than 30 COVID-shuttered music venues and donating a total of $500,000 to those stages and the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund.
Originally created to help support America’s most vulnerable venues, the emergency relief fund it intended to provide short-term relief for independent music venue owners and promoters who face eviction of permanent shutdown of their businesses.
“As 2020 draws to a close, the live music industry enters month nine of no shows, no income, no federal support, and ever-mounting debts. Music is what connects us all – as Spotify shows us, it’s what helped our friends, our families and our communities get through this tumultuous year,” said Stephen Sternshein, co-founder / treasurer of NIVA, and managing partner of Heard Presents in Austin. “Everyone’s favorite artists started somewhere, and we’re immensely thankful to Spotify for helping us to tell these stories. The stories that artists like Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, The Strokes, and so many more began on the very stages that today are struggling to survive.”
“In a year that has taken on so many twists and turns, a first reaction might be to look forward and forget the challenging times. However, that would discount all of the amazing work that creators, fans, venues and activists have poured their hearts into this year,” said Dan Brill, Global Group Creative Director at Spotify. “That’s why, instead of turning our backs on 2020, we wanted to give our appreciation for those who gave us hope — the people who, despite challenging circumstances, found ways to infuse magic into our world and give us hope for a better tomorrow.”
The partnership will be rolled out to venues across North America in the next few weeks, beginning with:
Alicia Keys @ Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, Wis.
Lady Gaga @ The Ritz Ybor, Tampa, FL
Childish Gambino @ The Aladdin, Portland, Ore.
The Weeknd @ The Orange Peel, Asheville, Tenn.
Jessie Ware @ Center Stage, Atlanta
