Over 150 venues join New York Independent Venue Association to lobby for COVID-19 relief

News

Over 150 venues in New York have banded together to form New York Independent Venue Association.

The association is Intended as a regional sub-group to the National Independent Venue Association, which launched earlier this year to collectively advocate for government relief for clubs and venues in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey carried out by the National Independent Venue Association, 90% of venues in the U.S. think they will be forced to close permanently in the coming months without federal funding. 

New York venues including Nowadays (pictured), Avant Gardner and Elsewhere are among the 150 to join the association, coinciding with a day of action yesterday (4th August). Venues encouraged fans to contact their congressional representatives and urge them to support the Save Our Stages Act and the RESTART Act, bills introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar and John Cornyn and Senators Todd Young and Michael Bennet, respectively, last month. 

The Save Our Stages Act will create a $10 billion grant program for live venue operators and promoters, and will be used for keeping spaces afloat during this time of immense uncertainty 

The importance of these bills has been emphasised by the National Independent Venue Association in their #saveourstages campaign, which states that both “would ensure the survival of live performance venues across the nation.” 

A template letter has been made available for fans to send to their congressional representatives. 

Meanwhile in the UK, London venues Village Underground and EartH launched a crowdfunding campaign to prevent closure in the wake of COVID-19.