Shutdown. Postponed. Canceled. Indefinite. Uncertain.
As Western Kentucky’s top independent music venues, promoters and music festivals fight for survival amid closures due to COVID-19, these words – and everything they have come to mean for us in these unprecedented times – have become the frightening new normal.
Our local independent small to mid-sized venues and promoters, the ones that work hard to keep our vibrant local music scene alive, were the first to close and will likely be the last to reopen. The pandemic brought our operations to a screeching halt and the continued impact threatens our very existence. The complete and sudden shutdown is a devastating blow with revenues completely diminished while overhead costs like rent, mortgage, utilities, taxes and insurance responsibilities remain. Pollstar estimates a $9 billion loss in ticket sales alone (not counting food and beverage revenue) if venues remain closed through the end of 2020. Without immediate financial assistance, several cities estimate that 90 percent of their locally owned and operated venues will never open again. We desperately hope Paducah will not be one of those cities. As a destination for arts and culture, the live music offerings are an integral part of our identity. They also promote tourism and enhance our designation as a UNESCO Creative City. To help prevent this, we have come together as part of the newly established National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) with one primary goal: To preserve the music ecosystem in our local communities. We play a vital role in our towns’ and neighborhoods’ economy and culture. Unlike restaurants, hardware, grocery and liquor stores, venues have no way to pivot to serve our community. There is no “contactless” version of live music or “take-out” way to offer the nightlife and entertainment our venues provide. The livelihoods of a diverse ecosystem of venue staff have been lost – employees like security, bar, production and box office workers, as well as the artists that play their stages, are struggling. Surrounding businesses are also losing out on revenue normally gained from fans traveling to the area for shows including restaurants, cafes, retail establishments, hotels and developers. Studies have shown that for every dollar spent in a small venue, $12 of economic activity is generated.
In this perilous time, this is about more than survival - it’s about returning to be the economic generators, culture providers and community leaders that we have always been. Kentuckians deserve as much.
Large, national companies are enjoying the benefits of cash infusions from Wall Street while mom and pop independent venues - the heart and soul of our communities - are in urgent need of help. Many of the stipulations around relief funds deem them meaningless to music venues and promoters, and this is why NIVA, which is now comprised of more than 1,300 venues and promoters from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., is requesting federal support that specifically addresses the needs of independent venues and nightlife establishments; support that will hold us over until we are able to safely open again at full capacity.
Together, we can add one word to that initial list: Resilience. With your assistance, we will come back stronger than ever. Reasons to gather are what make us human and we want to protect that for the future of our community.
How can you help? Contact your elected representatives to ensure we have the financial support needed to weather this storm until we’re able to reopen and gather together once more. We need your voice today, so we can sing together again tomorrow. Taking action is easy and takes less than a minute: Save Our Stages.
Help us survive, so we can once again thrive.
We look forward to welcoming you to live music events once again.
Signed,
Landee W. Bryant