News and Media
Eventim USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Europe’s top ticketer and promoter CTS Eventim, announced an alliance with the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) that will help preserve indie live spaces.
The global company is integrating a dedicated click-through donation feature into every digital ticket receipt processed through its American platform, making it seamless for fans to donate to NIVF at the point of purchase.
The new feature is effective immediately, and fans purchasing tickets via Eventim USA will see the NIVF donation portal option featured on their email and digital confirmation receipts.
Inherit the Music and the National Independent Venue Foundation are helping participants find jobs in touring, talent buying, festivals, and venue operations, seeing measurable career outcomes for young people pursuing careers in live music across Tennessee through the VOX (Venue Operations and eXperience) Workforce Development Program.
Through the VOX program, 26 participants have completed paid internships at 13 independent venues statewide, with 60 percent of Tennessee participants securing job opportunities following the program one year into a two-year workforce development partnership. Nationally, 87 percent of VOX participants have secured employment opportunities as a direct result of the initiative.
The 2026 National Independent Venue Association conference kicked off its opening session at the gorgeous Pantages Theatre (built in 1916) in Minneapolis with NIVA Executive Director Stephen Parker leading a rather epic and sprawling two-hour session. . . . The session also included the National Independent Venue Foundation’s (NIVF) Laura Wilson, who explained how NIVF has helped place 93 individuals at venues via its Venue Operations eXperience (VOX) program.
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06/08/2026The National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) welcomes 11 participants into its 2024 Winter VOX (Venue Operations eXperience) program. The Foundation’s four-month workforce development program provides participants with job-specific training through a virtual gamification program and leading training tools, such as 1Huddle, venue placement for paid internship, and industry mentorship to prepare participants for continued work in the sector.
The National Independent Venue Foundation is excited to announce host venues and open participant applications for the 2024 Venue Operations eXperience (VOX) program. The expanded 2024 program builds on a successful pilot in 2023.
VOX is a 4-month workforce development program providing venue and job-specific training through a virtual gamification program, paid internship in a local host venue, and mentorship with an assigned industry expert. Focusing on digital and social media marketing, the VOX program leverages the working knowledge of the independent live entertainment community and industry-leading virtual training through a gaming platform partnership with 1Huddle.
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10/29/2024The National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) announces the appointment of Carl Atiya Swanson, a leader in artist community development with extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, to the position of Executive Director, effective immediately.
As NIVF’s Executive Director, Swanson will play a critical role in expanding and solidifying NIVF’s programmatic vision, collaborating with the executive leadership of both the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and NIVF to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live performance venues, festivals and promoters throughout the U.S.
01/16/2024The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has announced a partnership with r.Cup, a sustainable platform providing reusable cups to replace single-use plastic cup use. Beginning Thursday, December 15, 2022, NIVA members in r.Cup operating cities can reduce their environmental footprint with r.Cup’s seamlessly integrated reusable cup system while raising funds for the National Independent Venue Foundation.
“NIVA is uniquely positioned to encourage our members to adopt sustainable practices, in particular to reduce single-use plastics through this innovative program,” said Cody Cowan, Chief Operating Officer. “Not only does this program align with our green initiatives, it helps raise funds for our organization so we can continue our work supporting independent music and comedy venues in communities across America.”
08/24/202302/01/2023As The National Independent Venue Association’s 2,900 members anxiously await the passage of the Save Our Stages Act in Congress, NIVA today announces the formation of The National Independent Venue Foundation, a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) which seeks to partner and fundraise through individual, corporate and foundation donations to expand upon NIVA’s mission to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live performance venues and promoters throughout the U.S. by also seeking to support a transparent, competitive marketplace serving a diverse and inclusive community of artists, fans, and industry workers.
01/09/2023DKTV², an immersive music video showcase, will bring more than 20 music videos by Memphis musicians and videographers into the Midtown venue Bar DKDC, with live visuals from Memphis immersive-experience studio Infinity Stairs. There will also be performances by a variety of bands, such as Aquarian Blood and Recent Future.
The event is the capstone project for Kolby Tipler and photographer Kierstyn Laird, who are completing their internships at Bar DKDC through the National Independent Venue Foundation’s Venue Operations eXperience (VOX) Program. For Tipler, who has also been working at Bar DKDC during the summer, the project grew from a desire to create an event that puts music, video, and visual art on equal footing.
The National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF), a 501(c)(3) organization, announced today the relaunch of its Emergency Relief Fund. The NIVF Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) provides economic relief to independent, music and comedy venues, festivals, and promoters across the United States experiencing a severe financial emergency due to circumstances beyond their control.
The NIVA Emergency Relief Fund was first launched by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) in October 2020 to help struggling venues and promoters on the verge of collapse, as they awaited critical financial relief from government programs. The NIVA Emergency Relief Fund awarded $3,170,000 to entities in 40 states; $2,800,000 to 148 independent venues and $370,000 to 18 independent promoters.
As the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF) continue to pave the way through an industry reopening and recovering, the founding executive director of both organizations, Rev. Moose, is leading a search for new executive directors to take over both organizations. Moose and the board of directors of both NIVA and NIVF will begin the search process for new executive directors immediately, with expected placement before the end of 2022. During the search process, Moose will continue leading all the organizations’ efforts, including hosting NIVA’s first national conference July 11 – 12 in Cleveland.
Go behind the hits at Sessions on 3rd, a unique live music series at 3rd & Lindsley that shines a spotlight on the legendary musicians who helped create some of music's biggest records. Through stories, live performances, rare vintage instruments, and interactive songwriting moments, audiences get an insider's look at the people behind the music.
05/06/2022As part of our commitment to fostering the next generation of theatre professionals, the Egyptian Theatre is excited to welcome Gemma to our team this summer through the VOX internship program. With a strong foundation in set building and design, Gemma is eager to expand her knowledge of lighting and sound to better understand how all elements of a production come together. In this interview, she reflects on the value of hands-on learning, the importance of accessibility in the entertainment industry, and her drive to be a well-rounded and versatile technician. Get to know Gemma and her passion for the behind-the-scenes magic that brings theatre to life!
01/19/2022The National Independent Venues Foundation (NIVF) is accepting applications for the organization’s Emergency Relief Fund to support independent venues, festivals and promoters impacted by recent wildfires.
The disaster has had a profound impact, forcing closures and causing operating disruptions that have put these venues and operators at risk. The NIVF Emergency Relief Fund is stepping in to provide financial aid to help ensure the future of these creative spaces.
In an email seeking applications from affected venues, NIVF stated: “We know that recovery isn’t easy, and we are committed to ensuring these cultural spaces have the support they need to get back on their feet.”
11/10/2020Band Together Relief is teaming up with different artists to launch an exclusive merch pop-up shop, channeling proceeds to support communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Discover how this initiative is rallying resources to provide much-needed aid for disaster-stricken areas and how you can participate too. . . . Music venues, local artists, bands, and the people who work to make live music happen are currently out of work, and many venues are unable to open due to damage. Therefore, they’ve partnered with the NIVF Emergency Relief Fund (ERF) to provide immediate assistance to venues and live music spaces so they can reopen and get people back to work.
This summer, the Egyptian Theatre is thrilled to welcome Matt Martin as one of our newest interns through the VOX program. With a passion for live entertainment and a deep appreciation for the technical artistry behind the scenes, Matt brings both enthusiasm and curiosity to his role. In this interview, Matt shares what excites him most about working hands-on with lighting and sound design, the importance of accessible training opportunities like internships, and how community theatre helped spark his creative journey. Get to know Matt and learn more about his hopes for the future in the world of live performance!
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