Dave Grohl, Neil Young, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga led a group of artists urging Congress to send aid and to answer the National Independent Venue Association’s request for government assistance.
Overall, over 600 musicians and comedians signed the letter. These venues asking for support have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Independent venues give artists their start, often as the first stage most of us have played on. These venues were the first to close and will be the last to reopen,” the letter began. “These venues were the first to close and will be the last to reopen. With zero revenue and the overwhelming overhead of rent, mortgage, utilities, taxes and insurance, 90% of independent venues report that if the shutdown lasts six months and there’s no federal assistance, they will never reopen again.”
“We are asking you to support [National Independent Venue Association’s] request for assistance so these beloved venues can reopen when it’s safe and welcome us and our fans back in. The collapse of this crucial element in the music industry’s ecosystem would be devastating,” it continued.
In NIVA’s plea for funding, the organization says that almost all of the independent venues in the country will be closed through 2021 (which is what experts predicted) even while being on the hook for rent, utilities, taxes, insurance and a whole lot more.
See the letter below and see all the signatures here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBmGzPODEQy/?utm_source=ig_embed
