The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), alongside several prominent concert, venue and event promoters: Live Nation, AEG, We Make Events, The Broadway League and National Independent Talent Organization, have signed a letter to President Joe Biden offering support for his vaccine rollout. These groups have offered their venues and staff to be used as part of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
“Since the pandemic shuttered our industry almost a year ago, our buildings and our co-workers have been paused, unutilized, and struggling,” Dayna Frank, owner and CEO of First Avenue Productions and Board President of NIVA, said in a statement to the BrooklynVegan. “These vaccines are our best chance at putting COVID-19 behind us, and our experiences organizing events and managing crowds now put us in the unique position of being the best prepared and most qualified industry to support the vaccination effort and get this country on the road to recovery.”
Goldenvoice, which is a subsidiary of AEG, are already in talks with Riverside County, California to help open vaccination sites at their venues. Riverside County is home to the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California, which hosts the Coachella Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach every year.
NIVA partnered up with YouTube last fall to host extensive programming in support of the Save Our Stages initiative. This Save Our Stages Festival raised $1.8 million for independent venues across the country, which have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Save Our Stages Act passed the House last October and was included as part of Congress’ COVID-19 relief package.
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