YouTube has announced a new partnership with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) aimed at helping closed venues across the country. The new partnership will include new and exclusive content shared on the video streaming platform.
NIVA formed this past April as a nonprofit advocacy group comprised of 1,500+ independent venues in all 50 states. The association’s main purpose is to advocate for the passage of the Save Our Stages Act, which would provide much-needed economic relief to venues throughout the United States.
The new initiative from YouTube and NIVA will focus on safely bringing live music back into independent venues. While they have not announced any specific programming yet, the support of the streaming giant will directly result in NIVA’s message reaching millions of more people around the country and the world at large. The partnership will also raise money for the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund, which provides economic assistance to venues that have been indefinitely closed due to the pandemic.
“With the support that we have at Congress on both sides of the aisle, we are hoping for a relief package but in the interim, many venues need ff [sic] so we’ve created funding now and this is a way to provide financial relief so that venues don’t have to close their doors,” NIVA co-founder/treasurer and managing partner of Heard Presents, Stephen Sternshein said in a statement.
The NIVA Emergency Relief Fund is designed to work in tandem with federal and local agencies to help avoid independent venues from permanently closing their doors. While the fundraising is a definite focus of the partnership, an awareness campaign of the struggles facing independent venues is crucial to the passage of meaningful legislation.
“YouTube is a place where artists and fans around the world come to connect and build community,” YouTube chief business officer Robert Kyncl said. “With traditional concerts on hold, never has there been a more important time to support the live music industry through our partnership with NIVA. We’re committed to doing our part in saving independent venues and continuing to bring artists and fans together through music.”
For announcements and updates on the partnership, subscribe to NIVA’s official YouTube channel.
[H/TÂ Billboard]