Workforce Development Program

The Workforce Development Program is designed to advance and strengthen the training of current and future workers in independent live performance spaces. The program aims to foster community-building strategies that aid in developing local talent and removing barriers for entry, in particular for currently underrepresented communities, towards viable career paths within the industry. Currently, the program consists of Virtual Trainings and the 4-month Venue Operations Experience (VOX).

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - VIRTUAL TRAININGs

The FREE virtual trainings cover a range of topics related to independent venues and promoters. These interactive sessions involve various venues and organizations that contribute their unique insights, expertise, and best practices. These trainings are open to any current or prospective employee of an independent venue or promoter.

Venues and promoters must not be owned (in whole or in part), managed, or exclusively booked by an organization that has more than one of the following three attributes: (1) “publicly traded”, (2) multinational, or (3) owns, manages or books venues in more than one state. We encourage live attendance to get the interactive benefits of each session. If you are unable to attend during the live virtual event, you can access the archived portion of the events.

To access the Training Hub archive of recorded trainings and supporting materials, please fill out the form here.

For questions or partnerships surrounding the workforce development programs, please reach out to christy@nivf.org.

Upcoming Development sessions

Event poster for NIVE and NIVA development sessions titled 'Venues Shaping Local Preparedness,' featuring speakers Matthew Kowal and Tom Clareson, scheduled for December 18, 2025, at 3:30 pm ET with headshots of the speakers.

Thursday, December 18, 2025 | 3:30pm ET

From day-to-day to disaster: venues shaping local preparedness

This webinar equips indie venue professionals, operators, and staff with practical tools and knowledge to advance from routine operations to disaster readiness, positioning their venues as leaders in local preparedness efforts. Attendees will discover actionable strategies for empowering teams, activating venues as community hubs, and strengthening readiness for emergencies of all sizes.

Explore industry-leading resources—including site-specific assessment tools, funding strategies, and professional development opportunities—while connecting with a network dedicated to building resilient arts communities. Participants will leave with checklists, toolkits, and a clear roadmap for integrating preparedness and well-being into their venue’s core operations.

Find out more at www.ReadyWhen.org and www.theArtofMassGatherings.com before the session.

Instructed by: Matthew Kowal - Co-Founder, Majestic Collaborations & Tom Clareson - Project Director, Performing Arts Readiness

RSVP HERE!
Event poster featuring a black and white photo of Sharon Yazowski, President and CEO of Levitt Foundation, with event details including date, January 8, 2026, and time, 2:30 pm ET, focusing on community partnerships, fundraising, and festival grant opportunities, presented in partnership with Levitt Foundation.

Thursday, January 8, 2026 | 2:30pm ET

Bringing Communities Together: Community Partnerships, fundraising & Levitt Festival Grant opportunities

Join the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF), the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), and the Levitt Foundation for a practical, development-focused session on how independent venues can successfully present free outdoor festivals in partnership with their communities.

This workshop will walk through the essential steps—from securing a fiscal sponsor (for venues that aren’t nonprofits) and building strong community collaborations, to crafting an effective fundraising strategy and tapping into resources provided by the Levitt Foundation. Participants will also receive an overview of the 2026 Levitt Festival Grant program, including key requirements, tips for building a competitive proposal, and insights into how these grants support vibrant, free outdoor music experiences nationwide.

With Levitt Festival Grant applications closing on January 29, this January 8 session ensures venues have three full weeks to refine and submit strong proposals.

Instructed by: Sharon Yazowski, President & CEO, Levitt Foundation

Register

Past trainings

All recordings and supporting materials are archived in the Training Hub. To access the Training Hub, please fill out the form here.

Thank you!

Thank you to the venues, businesses, and partner organizations below who have contributed to our virtual trainings and VOX!

Logo for 1huddle with the number 1 in blue and the word huddle in black
Text reading 'calling all crows' with silhouettes of three flying crows to the right.
2024 Grow with Google High Impact Partner badge with a ribbon and star details.
L-Acoustics logo with the company name in gray and a stylized icon in gold on a white background.
Levitt Foundation
Music Will
Logo for Nightlife United with a gradient purple to blue hexagon background and white text
Black background with the white letters 'NIVA' in bold, uppercase font.
Black and white logo with the word ''r·world'' inside a circle, with a stylized dot in the middle.
Black text says 107.3 alternative Cleveland.
Logo with two concentric circles with plus and asterisk signs inside, and the words 'beats overdose' below.
Broaddus Defense logo with the company name in blue text on a white background.
Campus Outreach logo with interlinked circles and text.
CISA
Urban-style logo with the text 'CITY WINERY' in bold purple letters, surrounded by a distressed purple border on a white background.
Purple logo with a plus sign, a star, and a circular orbit with a star, featuring a large letter 'C' in the center.
Logo for DC Improv comedy club featuring a clock with a brick wall background, bordered by the text "Comedy's Best Since 1992" and "Washington D.C."
A black and white graphic with a stylized sun, stars, planets, and musical note above the text 'DRKMTTR' in bold font.
Stylized logo with the word 'DMLP' in yellow outlined letters on a dark background.
https://www.entergain.com/
World map in orange and beige tones with 'esa' and the words 'event safety alliance' on the right side.
Cartoon illustration of a man and a woman smiling and making a 'hang loose' hand gesture, with the text 'HANDS UP Productions' beneath them, surrounded by red starburst shapes.
Logo for Headliners Music Hall with stylized black text and decorative element above, featuring a blue dot and black shapes
Bold white text on a black background spelling out the brand name 'HIVE' for event marketing email management software hive.co.
Logo with a blue gradient circle above the word 'HUB' in white capital letters on a dark background.
Black and white logo with the words 'LIVE' and 'MUSIC SOCIETY' and a vintage microphone in the center.
Midtopia logo with stylized mountain peaks in shades of yellow and orange above the word 'Midtopia' in bold black letters.
Logo of Music Venue Alliance Nashville featuring bold orange letters 'MVAN' with a lightning bolt and the text 'MUSIC VENUE ALLIANCE NASHVILLE' below.
MUSICARES
Logo of the Pabst Theater Group featuring a black circle with a white letter P inside, and the company name written next to it.
Logo of Porter’s Call featuring a simplistic drawn door and the text 'Porter's Call' in dark font.
Graphic with the words 'Production Simple' in black font, with a red exclamation mark replacing the letter 'I' in 'Production' and a red vertical line replacing the 'I' in 'Simple'.
Logo of RAMPD featuring a black musical note with a personified head, and the text 'RAMPD' with the caption 'Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities'.
Logo of the Rocky Mountain ADA Center with the ADA acronym in stylized blue font and a list of states: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming.
Logo featuring a tree with green leaves and a key in its branches, and roots extending below, with the text 'roots & keys' and 'life and relationship coaching'.
Snapchat logo with a ghost outline on a yellow background.
https://coloradosound.org/
Black and white logo of a crocodile with the text "The Croc" over its back, "Est. 1991" on either side, and the word "Crocodile" below.
Logo of The Equity Project with the words 'Equity. Redefined. Actualized.' underneath.
Logo for The Theatre with a black background, ornate gold and white border, and white stylized letters in the center.
A logo celebrating 25 years of Diesel Music, featuring a stylized animal skull with horns and a banner that reads "25 Years of Diesel Music".
The word 'Troubadour' written in black, Old English style font on a white background.
Black circular logo with a white letter 'W' and blue gradient stripes on the right side.
Blue circular logo with a stylized microphone graphic above the text 'World Cafe Live' and 'Est. 2004' at the bottom.
The logo of WXPN radio station with black and gray letters on a white background.
Black background with white logotype of the venue 'xBk' centered

For questions or partnerships surrounding the Workforce Development Programs, please reach out to christy@nivf.org.