2025 Impact 50 Honoree: Stephen Parker
STEPHEN PARKER
Executive Director
National Independent Venue Association
LIFE CHANGING CONCERT: ”Sara Bareilles at the Canal Club in Richmond, Virginia on Sept. 26, 2007. … the small crowd there that night saw the start of something special.”

Born of the dread the country’s independent venues faced in the early days of the pandemic, the National Independent Venue Association fought successfully for legislation that helped keep many afloat during monthslong closures.
And after the pandemic waned, NIVA turned into a force that continues to fight for issues important to the independents, the lifeblood of the live business. Executive Director Stephen Parker has helped NIVA navigate the transition, focused in particular these days on ticketing reform.
“NIVA continues to lead the way on ticketing policy in D.C. and in state capitals across the country. We’ve engaged on 40-plus bills in more than 25 states already in 2025,” Parker says.
In addition, this year, NIVA launched “Live Independent,” a fan-facing certification program that aims to build awareness of independent venues across the country.
“We continue to tell the story of independent stages and do our best to be the advocate they did not have for most of this nation’s history,” Parker says.
Parker says economic headwinds and declining consumer sentiment will hit NIVA members especially hard, but programs that allow the indies to share their story can soften the blow.
“The economics of touring in the face of rising costs, a monopoly, and predatory resellers already create enough challenges for our members every day. However, when consumer sentiment about the economy declines as it has in recent months, it impacts our business and the artist experience,” he says.
To that end, NIVA will soon release “The State of Live,” a comprehensive study that will quantify both the challenges independent venues face and the value they bring.
“We have to tell our story and talk about how an already-sensitive financial picture for independent stages could reach a breaking point with the volatility we have experienced in recent days and weeks,” he says.
