NIVA - National Independent Venue Association

We’re heading to Minneapolis for NIVA ’26! 🌟 After welcoming nearly 1,400 attendees in Milwaukee, our fifth annual conference lands June 7–10, 2026—for bold conversations, compelling programming, and electrifying live shows. #NIVA26 registration and details coming soon.

Read the full op-ed for NIVA’s vision for the future of live entertainment — and the actions the court must be bold enough to take. rollingstone.com/music/music-ne…

In the piece, Stephen outlines why the jury’s findings matter so deeply to the independent live community — and why real accountability requires structural remedies that restore competition, protect independent businesses, and give artists and fans more choice in the marketplace.

For years, NIVA has advocated for a fairer, more transparent, competitive live entertainment industry. Today, our ED Stephen Parker published a new op-ed in @RollingStone examining what the landmark @LiveNation/@Ticketmaster verdict should mean for the future of live music.

Congrats to @FlyteTymeJam & @FlyteTymeLewis, named to NYT's 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters list! At #NIVA26 in Minneapolis in June, Jimmy Jam joins his father, legend Cornbread Harris, for a conversation on legacy, lineage, and the music that shaped a global movement.

We’re proud to celebrate that legacy — and even more excited to welcome Barrie Buck and Velena Vego to #NIVA26 in Minneapolis this June, where they’ll bring decades of firsthand experience to conversations on ticketing, alternative programming, and the future of indie venues.

This month, the iconic @40WattAthens celebrates 35 years at its current location — a room that helped shape independent music culture, champion emerging artists, and create unforgettable live moments.

Live Nation lost its bid to build a big concert venue here in Portland, Maine last night! Before an overflow crowd, the City Council rejected the project. For more than a year residents have been campaigning to prevent this monopoly from destroying the local music scene. We won!

Last night, Portland, Maine became the first community in the country to vote keep Live Nation out. It’s a major win for fans and independent venues who have been fighting Live Nation’s invasion of Portland for months. New from me in Who Shall Rule, w/ link below.

Congratulations to NIVA Board President Audrey Fix Schaefer and @APEconcerts's Rae Livingston on being named to @Billboard’s Women in Music 2026 Executive Honorees list. Leaders moving the industry forward – onstage, behind the scenes, and across the independent live community.

Read @Billboard’s full feature to learn more about @LPRNYC’s artistic vision, innovative programming, and enduring impact on New York’s live music scene. billboard.com/pro/indie-venu…

Billboard has published the latest installment of its Indie Venue of the Month series. The spotlight turns to NIVA member venue @LPRNYC, a Greenwich Village staple that has spent nearly two decades redefining what an independent stage can be. A well-deserved moment for LPR. ❤️🖤

If we’ve missed you along the way, let’s fix that in Minneapolis. Join us at #NIVA26, June 7–10 — the largest gathering of the independent live industry. We’ll see you there. 💚⚡️ Register: nivassoc.org/conference

We love taking this show on the road. From Treefort to Pollstar Live!, we bring together the independent live community — over music at festivals, over drinks at happy hours, and in rooms where random conversations turn into real connections.

Now, @LiveNation and @Ticketmaster must be broken up—ending their control over touring and ticketing, restricting their market share, and ensuring damages are returned to the venues, promoters, festivals, and fans impacted by years of monopolistic conduct.

A jury has confirmed what independent venues, artists, and fans have long believed. @LiveNation is an illegal monopoly.

Independent stages are where every artist gets their start, and we’re proud to partner with @Spotify to help them thrive. Thank you for investing in the spaces that build artists and communities. 💚