The Independent Venue Preservation Initiative says it will pay venues’ unpaid bills going back to last February, but will depend on "community-driven micro-donations" to do so.
We are in the almost-“Yellow” tier era and live indoor events can happen again, albeit with oodles of restrictions. But bars and clubs have been largely closed for more than a year, and there have of course been a few permanent casualties. A couple of venue relief programs have popped up recently, notably the $3 million Music and Entertainment Venue Recovery fund being run by City Hall, and the $2.5 million in tax waivers for nightclubs.
Another relief program is on the way to help nightclubs, as Billboard reports that a newly forming nonprofit called the Independent Venue Preservation Initiative (IVPI) is launching a “Subscribe to Live” program that will pay nightclubs’ unpaid bills going back to February 2020.
We are ready to pay venue bills. Join us with your monthly micro-donation at https://t.co/UaNWBBbCm9 and make sure we keep our independent live performance venues safe from closure. #paythebills #subscribetolive #ivpi #ivpiorg pic.twitter.com/KUCS08ZJKZ
— Independent Venue Preservation Initiative (@IVPIORG) April 23, 2021
“Subscribe to Live is the only non-grant, non-loan community based, rapid relief financial aid program available,” IVPI founder and local promoter Elizabeth Simon said in a release. “By investing in our local arts and entertainment economy for the price of a streaming subscription, we can make a substantial positive impact on our city, preserving all independent culturally significant businesses within the community.”
But the success of the program seems to some degree dependent on what they call "community-driven micro-donations." That is a fancy way of saying they have a Patreon, and they’re asking community donors to fund at least a portion of this. The most affordable deal is $15 a month, but with different tiers that go up to $150 a month.
These funds would not be a grant, and can only be used to pay specific types of bills, but will pay any outstanding bills going back to February 2020. According to the press release, the Subscribe To Live funds available "will pay venues’ essential bills dating back to February 2020, including rent or mortgage payments, liability insurance, and utilities."
Venues do have to sign up for the program, by going to IndependentVenuePreservationInitiative.org and clicking on Register Your Venue. It’s free to apply. Bills are then paid though a separate direct pay service, and once submitted bills are approved, IVPI says they will pay them within a month.
Image: Ann S via Yelp
