More than 200 venues have already signed on to participate in Independent Venue Week 2021. The record number of participating venues come from 39 states across the United States and will host a series of shows and programming in celebration of the spirit of independence from July 12-18.
Venues already signed on include The 9:30 Club in D.C., First Avenue in Minneapolis, Exit/In in Nashville, The Crocodile in Seattle and hundreds more.
This year’s Independent Venue Week will also partner with the National Independent Venue Association. NIVA’s emergence was sparked last year by an Independent Venue Week call following mass gathering bans due to the pandemic.
“Independent Venue Week brought us together in good times and then connected us when we had to fight to Save Our Stages,” said board member and communications director of NIVA Audrey Fix Schaefer in a release. “Without Independent Venue Week’s years of bringing awareness to the contributions that independent venues provide in terms of creating a communal space for music, connecting people, art, and commerce, it’s impossible to imagine how this industry could have survived.”
Due to the pandemic, last year’s IVW went virtual. For 2021, the events will return to indie venues. Venues across the country are getting the go-ahead to reopen as cases drop and the number of vaccinated adults continues to rise.
“Getting ready for this year’s event feels particularly meaningful,” said Cecilie Nielsen, director of special projects at Marauder, which runs Independent Venue Week in the U.S. “For the past 14 months, independent venues and promoters have collectively fought for their very survival and this feels like the turning point that we’ve all been working for. We were happy and proud to grow Independent Venue Week last year—to even have it, under the circumstances. This year, we hope and believe that fans will return with a renewed appreciation for these uniquely important spaces.”
The venue-curated programming will be combined with the return of #IVWTalks, a virtual conference series that discusses current live music industry issues and includes Get Schooled, a full day dedicated to student participants interested in a career in live music to take place on July 15.
“Independent venues are incredibly important to our musical history, and they are incredibly important to our future,” said Alison Mosshart of The Kills who served as artist ambassador for Independent Venue Week 2020. “So much great art is born on those stages, 99% of the bands you love would not have crossed your radar had independent venues not been a vital part of their journey.”
To see a full list of participating venues or to sign up to be part of Independent Venue Week 2021, head here.
