At NIVA Conference, Venue Owners Celebrate Live Music’s Comeback but Cite Challenges: ‘I Thought We’d Be Hitting the Roaring ’20s by Now’
Annie Zaleski When the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) scheduled its first annual conference in Cleveland, Ohio, for July 11-12, it set a modest attendance goal of around 350 people. The two-day event exceeded expectations: Nearly 600 people registered for a gathering that included solutions-driven panel discussions, robust networking and packed concerts at various Cleveland independent venues.The mood was indeed upbeat at a Monday night happy-hour mixer and awards ceremony at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.