Call For Programming Submissions
NIVA welcomes creative ideas — successes, strategies, and innovative approaches to addressing the timely issues affecting the independent live entertainment industry.
Submissions are now closed. Thanks to those for submitted!
As the leading conference for independent music and comedy venues, festivals, and the promoter industry, NIVA brings the live entertainment community together to support, educate, and connect industry leaders across the United States. Important topics discussed at our past conferences include industry diversity, mental health, safety, insurance, the economic impact of live entertainment, booking, artist development, ticketing, booking, and much more.
As we prepare for NIVA ‘24, June 2-5 in New Orleans, we’re thrilled to offer our members and the industry at large a chance to submit ideas, panels, and presentations for our Annual Conference. We believe that adopting a community-sourced program model will continue to elevate the NIVA Conference program to the high caliber that attendees have come to expect.
Our Call for Presentations allows you to submit your most creative, innovative, and detailed ideas that offer high-level conversations on ways to 1) best support and advocate for the independent live entertainment industry and 2) create a healthier & more inclusive work environment for everyone engaged in the industry.
NIVA welcomes creative ideas — successes, strategies and innovative approaches to addressing the timely issues affecting the independent live entertainment industry. Below is a list of program categories that current members and previous attendees have found most valuable:
Venue Operations
Business Development
Advocacy - National, State + Local
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Accessibility
Marketing + Public Relations
Brand + Strategic Partnerships
Ticketing
Booking
Financing + Revenue Streams
Education, Workforce + Professional Development
Mental Health + Personal Wellness
Environmentally Sustainable Business Practices
Strategic Planning
Individuals who wish to nominate an individual to speak at NIVA ‘24 can complete our Speaker Submission Form. This form helps us collect information about you and your interests, so we can best match you to speaking opportunities that fit your skillset.
Program Submission Criteria
While NIVA membership is not a requirement for submitting a proposal, members are given priority consideration. There are many benefits to membership beyond participation in the Annual Conference — to learn more, visit https://www.nivassoc.org/join
Few artists attend our event, so presentations geared specifically toward the artist will most likely be disqualified.
Presenters/panelists MUST be diverse in gender, ethnicity, age, geographic location, areas of expertise, and ideologies. This is in line with NIVA’s commitment to equity in our support and advocacy for independent venues, and our mission to create and encourage opportunities for venues, promoters, and festivals owned, operated, and staffed by people of color, women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, veterans, and people with disabilities. NIVA is committed to upholding a safe space for its members where respectful conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility can continue to happen. NIVA has an ongoing commitment to prioritize IDEA initiatives and learn more about best practices and approaches to IDEA in the live entertainment industry, and to provide resources and professional development opportunities to support NIVA’s members in doing the same for their individual businesses. If balance and diversity are not achieved, the Association reserves the right to disqualify submissions, or suggest/add participants to a discussion to ensure that our standards are met.
Presentations, case studies, conversation/interview formats, and panels are encouraged. Those sessions that lend themselves best to a panel format MUST be limited to no more than a moderator and four (4) panelists.
NO sales pitch-oriented presentations will be considered.
Additional Fine Print
Deadlines
Submissions must be received by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
Those whose submissions are chosen will be contacted in early February.
Panels must be fully staffed with panelists by Friday, March 29, 2024 so that proper follow-up and marketing of the session can be completed.
Expenses
There are no fees required to submit a proposal.
NIVA does not pay per diem or honoraria, or provide travel expenses or hotel accommodations for those chosen to speak. Please let your panelists know this when you ask them to fill a panel slot.
Presentation Space Particulars
The programming space at independent venues in New Orleans will include:
Wired and wireless Internet connection;
In-house sound hook-up; and
Screen with LCD projector.
If the presentation requires visuals, presenters should bring their own laptops to hook into the equipment outlined above.
If you have questions regarding your submission or the guidelines outlined, please email conference@nivassoc.org.
