NIVA Estimates That 90 Percent Of Its Member Venues Could Close

By DownBeat I Jun. 10, 2020

In late May, The California Clipper, a Chicago club that hosted local jazz, announced its closure.
(Photo: californiaclipper.com)

The National Independent Venue Association says that up to 90 percent of its members in the United States could close as a result of lost revenue during the pandemic, according to a survey of its 2,000 constituents.

The organization—which was founded following the closure of the U.S. economy to promote the needs of clubs across the country—released a document June 8 collecting data from its members and describing federal action that it supported.

The dour news outweighed the positive.

NIVA cited Pollstar data from early April that expects “the live industry would lose up to $8.9 billion of revenue” during 2020 if venues remain closed. To contextualize the impact, the organization referenced a Chicago Tribune story that said arts programing brings in billions each year to major metro centers and used the city’s Loop area as a reference point.

NIVA goes on to voice its support of tax credits and the RESTART Act—which has been proposed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.)—while adding that it believes current Paycheck Protection Program funding will be insufficient. RESTART, which focuses on small- and mid-sized businesses, aims to expand payroll assistance for six months, allows more flexibility for allocation of those funds by businesses and provides a seven-year payback plan.

“This is the first and only bipartisan proposal that supports the hardest-hit businesses by fixing the Paycheck Protection Program and providing relief through the rest of the year,” Bennet said in a separate press release. DB