The 72 independent entertainment venues and promoters from Wisconsin, all members of the recently formed National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), have worked together to plan a local day of action for Tuesday, August 4th to seek support for the Save Our Stages Act and RESTART Act, two bills that have been introduced to ensure the survival of independent venues across the nation.
The Save Our Stages Act (S. 4258), introduced by Senators Cornyn and Klobuchar, and the RESTART Act (S. 3814 / H.R. 7481), introduced by Senators Young and Bennet and Representatives Golden and Kelly, provide vital support for independent venues that have lost nearly 100% of their revenue since the pandemic began in March. These venues will remain closed well into 2021 due to safety concerns posed by large gatherings. These institutions draw most of their revenue from acts that tour the United States, and until it’s safe to do so en masse, it won’t be possible for venues to bring back their staff. 90% of the 2,400 national members of NIVA have stated that they will be forced to close their doors if the shutdown lasts 6 months or more and they do not get meaningful support from Congress.
A recent Chicago study estimated that $1 spent at a small venue resulted in $12 of economic activity in their neighborhoods: meals, coffee, local transportation, hotels, retail, etc. Venues are economic generators, beloved institutions, and most importantly, community builders. More than 1.3 million live music lovers have written letters to their elected officials via SaveOurStages.com.
Wisconsin – based NIVA members include:
Big River Theatre, Alma
Gibson Community Music Hall, Appleton
Mile of Music, Appleton
OuterEdge Stage, Appleton
Big Top Chautauqua, Bayfield
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield
Country Fest, Cadott
Rock Fest, Cadott
X-Ray Arcade, Cudahy
Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild’s Grand Theatre, Eau Claire
Blue Ox Music Festival, Eau Claire
Country Jam USA, Eau Claire
Eaux Claire’s Festival, Eau Claire
Pablo Center at the Confluence, Eau Claire
Pine Hollow, Eau Claire
The Lakely, Eau Claire
The Metro, Eau Claire
The Plus, Eau Claire
Ugly Mermaid Venue & Cultural Centre, Eau Claire
Funk’s Pub, Fitchburg
Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, Fond du Lac
Cavalier Theater, La Crosse
Pump House Regional Arts Center, La Crosse
Warehouse, La Crosse
Weber Center for the Performing Arts, La Crosse
Arts Wisconsin, Madison
Barrymore Theatre, Madison
Cafe CODA, Madison
Communication Madison, Madison
Liquid & Ruby, Madison
North Street Cabaret, Madison
Overture Center for the Arts, Madison
The Venue on Winnebago St, Madison
T Presents, Madison
The Mabel Tainter, Menomonie
Cactus Club, Milwaukee
Company Brewing, Milwaukee
Eagles Club, Milwaukee
Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Milwaukee
LIVE @ the Lakefront, Milwaukee
Pabst Theater Group, Milwaukee
Shank Hall, Milwaukee
Site 1A, Milwaukee
Tavern at Turner Hall, Milwaukee
The Cooperage, Milwaukee
The Back Room @ Colectivo, Milwaukee
The Miramar Theatre, Milwaukee
The Rave, Milwaukee
The Riverside Theater, Milwaukee
Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee
Var Gallery and Studios, Milwaukee
Walker’s Point Music Hall, Milwaukee
The Mineral Point Opera House, Mineral Point
Campanile Center for the Arts, Minocqua
The Suburban Bourbon, Muskego
Country USA, Neenah
Rock USA, Neenah
Old Gem Theater, New Richmond
The Grand Oshkosh, Oshkosh
Xebec Corporation, Rhinelander
Weill Center Foundation, Inc., Sheboygan
LuCille Tack Center for the Arts, Spencer
The Shitty Barn, Spring Green
Stoughton Opera House, Stockholm
WideSpot Performing Arts Center & Community Project Inc, Stockholm
Intellasound Productions, Verona
Associates of the Restored Temple Theatre, Ltd, Viroqua
Historic Temple Theatre, Viroqua
BruMar Productions, Waukesha
Grand Theater, Wausau
Westby Area Performing Arts Center, Westby
The Palace Theater, Wisconsin Dells
This is not your typical press release. Our ask is beyond newsworthy. Without support from Congress these community anchors WILL close, and we’ll be left to ask whether we did our part to save them.
We are asking our media friends to rally behind this movement and spread the word this coming Tuesday August 4th, 2020. The timing is vital. Congress goes on break, and is rushing to complete its next relief bill, and independent venues MUST be included. These mom and pop entrepreneurs are among the hardest hit by a pandemic: first to close and will be among the last to re-open. There’s no takeout version of concerts. Drive-ins and virtual streaming shows don’t begin to put our people back to work. The gig economy has been shuttered, and many thousands of our friends are at home, hoping the government keeps them fed while our industry tries to figure out what’s next.
Do you have space to feature the Save Our Stages Act on your channels and platforms on Tuesday? Even if you’ve previously covered NIVA or the RESTART Act, this new push is the most important one yet, and your support would be vital in ensuring it happens! Alongside traditional coverage, any support via social media or email marketing lists would be remarkable, and if you tag #SaveOurStages or #Save WISCSONSIN Stages, we’ll make sure that members will share and retweet from our accounts, getting you some shine in the process!
#SaveOurStages #SaveMichiganStages
ABOUT NIVA: Formed at the onset of the COVID-19 shutdown, the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), now represents more than 2,400 members in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. These independent venues and promoters were the first to close and will be the last to fully reopen. NIVA’s mission is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live music venues, promoters and festivals throughout the United States.
AVAILABLE ASSETS:
Video recap of Save Our Stages movement
Interviews with Gary Witt, CEO of the Pabst Theater Group, available upon request.
Pabst Theater Group Media Contact: Sara Peronto, speronto@ptglive.com
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