NIVA Launches ‘Live Independent’ Program To Strengthen Venues

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), with support from Bandsintown, has launched “Live Independent,” a  groundbreaking certification program that elevates and safeguards independent venues, promoters, and festivals nationwide. The new initiative is designed to enhance the quality and sustainability of independent live entertainment, while preserving the authentic and unique spirit that defines these cultural hubs. 

The “Live Independent” certification program represents a major milestone in the effort to strengthen and unify the independent live entertainment community, according to NIVA’s announcement. “By offering a seal of certification that recognizes excellence and commitment to the independent ethos, NIVA creates a more resilient and vibrant landscape for music, comedy, and performance enthusiasts nationwide.”

Certified venues and events receive physical posters, stickers, and decals of the “Live Independent” seal to display, along with virtual seals and assets for websites, marketing, and social media. Partnerships with ticketing companies also enable the “Live Independent” seal to be displayed on event tickets, further elevating visibility and credibility.

Other benefits of “Live Independent” certification include a dedicated website serving as a hub of information, emphasizing the importance of supporting certified “Live Independent” venues and events. Fans can use the site’s search feature to verify if their favorite venue is certified and find shows at certified stages. Stages can apply to become certified themselves.

The Bandsintown partnership brings 90 million registered users and a distribution network including Spotify, Google, Apple, Shazam and Bing that will help educate fans about what “Live Independent” means and promote indie venues through dedicated placements on the Bandsintown app and website.

Every NIVA-member independent venue will have the “Live Independent” seal on their Bandsintown venue page, and a map of “Live Independent” certified venues will be featured on Bandsintown’s homepage to help fans locate and support these independent entities across the country.

“These independent venues are so important because without them, you wouldn’t have your Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor Swift,” says Tarriona “Tank” Ball, from Tank and the Bangas, in a statement. “You wouldn’t have these artists because we all had to start somewhere. We had to build from something. And these places are integral to the building of an actual artist. Without them we have no artists, we have no future music makers. We have no future Prince or those people that really rock the stadium. Because before you rock the stadium, you have to rock your local clubs first. You’ve just got to do it. It’s a right of passage.”

The “Live Independent” certification program launch coincides with YouTube Foundry’s Music Nights, set to take place tonight at The Troubadour in Los Angeles and October 23 at Cannery Hall in Nashville. These events, held in partnership with NIVA, will showcase both current and former Foundry artists, further underscoring the importance of independent venues in nurturing and spotlighting emerging talent. 

“This certification is a testament to the power of independent stages as sanctuaries for human connection. In an era dominated by publicly-traded live entertainment conglomerates, these venues and festivals are the final strongholds of authenticity, where the heart of live performance beats strongest,” said Stephen Parker, Executive Director of NIVA. “When fans and artists choose independent stages, they’re investing in the soul of their community. Live Independent is our collective promise – to the artists, to the fans, and to the communities that cherish these spaces – that the spirit of independent venues will not only endure but will continue to flourish.” 

Eligibility for the “Live Independent” certification is open to independent venues, promoters, and festivals that demonstrate a mission centered around delivering music, comedy, and performance to audiences; fair payment practices for all artists, performers, and creators;

independence from multinational conglomerates or publicly traded companies; support for a transparent, competitive marketplace and a diverse, inclusive community; and a commitment to protecting and preserving independent stages through NIVA membership.