According to Brooklyn Vegan, applications will open once again for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, on April 24, 2021. Applications for the grant originally opened on April 8, but closed quickly due to technical difficulties with the website.

The grant will provide financial assistance to struggling venues, after the Save Our Stages act was passed as part of the last COVID package. The bill was introduced by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar and Texas Senator John Cornyn in July of 2020.

According to a venue owner who was unable to apply for the grant due to these technical issues, “In order to move through the application, you have to be able to upload documents in support of a lot of questions and the upload functionality isn’t working. Everyone is stuck on the first of four phases of the application.”

Board member and communications director for the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), Audrey Fix Schaefer, says “Simply put, this is emergency relief that can’t come too soon. Every single day that passes small businesses are receiving eviction notices, all the while $16 billion has been waiting for them. This is a lifeline for thousands of independent venues and promoters in big towns and in small communities across the nation.”

She goes on to say, “When you’ve had revenue losses of more than 90 percent and are in fear of going under, having the opportunity to apply for the grant is a relief, no matter what day of the week it is. We’re thankful our members won’t have to wait much longer.”

In October of 2020, YouTube partnered with NIVA to host the Save Our Stages music festival, which featured acts like Foo Fighters, Rise Against, The Roots, Miley Cyrus and more. The festival raised over $1.8 million for independent venues.

Photo Credit: Owen Ela