(vip-booking) – The US-based National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has criticized Live Nation’s (LN) new plan to help touring artists financially.
LN recently launched its On The Road Again program, which includes ending the reduction in earnings from merchandise sales at all its US venues. The program will also provide financial support to touring artists for fuel and travel expenses in the coming months.
However, NIVA expressed concerns, stating that short-term measures that seem helpful to artists could harm independent venues, which are crucial for many struggling artists.
They emphasized that independent venues and promoters play a significant role in nurturing and promoting emerging artists.
NIVA cautioned that LN’s significant resources could steer artists away from independent venues, potentially jeopardizing smaller venues with a capacity of under 3,000.
NIVA stressed the importance of these independent stages where most artists, musicians, and comedians get their start within the industry. These stages – often small businesses or nonprofits- face various challenges, including rising costs and deceptive ticketing practices.
NIVA underscored the need for improved economics in touring to support artists and independent venues, committing to continue advocating for artists and empowering independent venues.
The complete statement from NIVA reads:
Temporary measures may help artists in the short run but can squeeze out independent venues that provide the lifeblood of many artists on thin margins. Independent venues and promoters are investing in and elevating up-and-coming artists daily, and NIVA supports those efforts nationally. The initiative announced yesterday is a move to follow the lead of some independent venues. It is not that.
Instead, it appears to be a calculated attempt to use a publicly-traded conglomerate’s immeasurable resources to divert artists from independent venues and further consolidate control over the live entertainment sector. Such tactics threaten the vitality of small and medium-sized venues under 3000 capacity, many of which still struggle to keep their doors open.
Independent stages, where the majority of artists, musicians, and comedians start their careers, are small businesses and nonprofits. They are continually facing rising costs, increased deceptive ticketing practices in the resale market, and ongoing challenges following the global pandemic. Our stages are critical to the live entertainment ecosystem and local economies and must survive.
The economics of touring must drastically improve for artists and independent venues. There has to be a better way. NIVA will continue to support artists and empower independent venues as we collectively find it.
