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Members of the National Independent Venue Association, a New York City-based trade association for music venues, festivals and promoters, will meet in Indianapolis this fall for the two-day NIVA Live Policy Summit, organizers announced Tuesday.
The summit is scheduled Oct. 15-16 at Fountain Square’s Hi-Fi venue, 1043 Virginia Ave., where the national association will partner with the Indiana Independent Venue Alliance.
Both organizations were founded in 2020 as efforts to support venues during the pandemic. The National Independent Venue Association led the Save Our Stages campaign, which encouraged lawmakers to establish the $16.25 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program.
In Indianapolis, sessions during the NIVA Live Policy Summit will address topics such as “Sustaining Live: State Incentives and Live Performance Funds,” “Ticketing 101: The Landscape and Legislation” and how venues can navigate zoning and sound ordinances set by local governments.
“NIVA’s work in states and localities has become the heart and soul of our advocacy,” said Stephen Parker, executive director of the national venue association, in a written statement. “We can’t think of a better place and a better time for stages, artists, music industry professionals and policymakers to come together and finalize a plan to ensure statehouses and city halls are equipped with policies in 2026 to protect independent venues, strengthen local music ecosystems and keep live entertainment thriving in every community.”
The Indiana Independent Venue Alliance is made up of more than 50 venues, including the Butler Arts Center, the Vogue and the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis as well as the Bluebird in Bloomington, the Clyde in Fort Wayne and the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend.
The Hi-Fi is owned and operated by MOKB Presents, a concert company led by Josh Baker—who serves as executive director of the Indiana Independent Venue Alliance.
“Independent venues have always been creative problem-solvers, and across the country we’ve seen incredible examples of communities working together to protect live music,” Baker said in a written statement. “The Live Policy Summit is an opportunity to bring those ideas to Indianapolis, engage our policymakers directly and shape the future of the live entertainment industry. Hosting this event at Hi-Fi in the heart of the country feels especially fitting.”
For more information, visit nivassoc.org.
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Long live live music! Indiana is lucky to have as many love music venues as we do..