NY Senator Chuck Schumer Backs 'Save Our Stages' Bill To Support Indie Venues

Senator Chuck Schumer

U.S. SENATE Majority Leader SENATOR CHARLES SCHUMER (D-NY) is co-sponsoring #SaveOurStages, a bipartisan legislation aimed at providing relief to independent live venues, promoters and festivals across the nation.

Since the pandemic shutdowns began in MARCH, music venues, comedy clubs and festivals have been shuttered with no revenue, high overhead and no timeline for when they can fully reopen. The NATIONAL INDEPENDENT VENUE ASSOCIATION said that if the shutdown lasts six months or longer and there’s no meaningful federal assistance, 90% of its members would be forced to fold forever.

Said SCHUMER, “Independent venues, like theaters and concert halls, are the beating heart of NEW YORK’s cultural life and a driving force in the economy. These local businesses were among the first to shut down at the start of the pandemic, are struggling to stay afloat, and will be among the last to reopen. That’s why it’s so important to provide dedicated federal assistance to independent venues so when it is safe, we can gather again for music, comedy, theater and other live performances in venues that have been around for generations. I’m proud to co-sponsor the SAVE OUR STAGES ACT, and I’ll fight to include federal funding for independent venues in any CORONAVIRUS relief legislation.”  

The SAVE OUR STAGES ACT (S. 4258), introduced by SENATORS JOHN CORNYN (R-TX) and AMY KLOBUCHAR  (D-MN), provides vital support for independent live music venues that have lost nearly 100% of their revenue since the pandemic began in March.  The companion bill in the HOUSE (H.R. 7806) is led by CONGRESSMEN PETER WELSH (D-VT) and ROGER WILLIAMS (R-TX).
 
Commented NIVA Executive Director REV MOOSE, “Local independent scenes are the cultural lifeblood of our communities as well as an economic driver throughout AMERICA.These mom and pop venues are unable to fully reopen until well into 2021 due to safety concerns posed by large gatherings.  These institutions draw most of their revenue from acts that tour the UNITED STATES, and until it’s safe to gather people en masse, it won’t be possible for venues to bring back their staff, which is one reason why the PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP) does not work for this industry.”

Added LCD SOUNDSYSTEM's JAMES MURPHY,  “These venues are places that occupy parts of cities that nobody wants to be in when they start. They fill in the gaps and communities spring up around them. They take those warehouses that nobody wanted to be in and they build places that foster the most diverse music scene in the world. Thank you to the venues that let me play and let me work for the 30 years I’ve lived here. We’re not going to be able to rebuild these from zero. You can’t knock out all the mom and pops and think that more mom and pops will spring up. If we knock them out, it’s just chains. Write your senators and ask them to support this bill - it’s critical, or this whole industry is going to go away without it. The very nature of being independent means these people, these centers, don’t have the kind of voice that bigger companies do have - they need your voice, so please do your best to support them.”

So far those concerned with saving independent venues have sent 1.8 million emails to their elected officials through SaveOurStages.com.
 
The proposed legislation would provide SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION grants for independent live venue operators, promoters and festivals affected by COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. These grants would provide at least six months of financial support to keep venues afloat, pay employees, and preserve a critical economic sector for communities across the country.

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