National Independent Venue Association to Host Live Policy Summit in Indianapolis on October 15 &16
Two-Day Summit Brings Together Industry Leaders, Policymakers, and Stakeholders to Explore Legislative, Regulatory, and Policy Solutions Strengthening the Independent Live Entertainment Ecosystem
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 19, 2025) – The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the Indiana Independent Venue Alliance (IIVA) will host the NIVA Live Policy Summit, presented by Tixel, taking place October 15 &16, 2025, at HI-FI in Indianapolis. The summit will bring together industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to further strengthen the live music and performance ecosystem through collaborative action and informed policy.
Built for the independent live community and the stakeholders who champion our sector, the summit will provide a forum for attendees to develop best practices, explore policy solutions, and forge stronger coalitions to support independent live venues, festivals, and promoters at the local, state, and national levels.
“NIVA’s work in states and localities has become the heart and soul of our advocacy,” said Stephen Parker, NIVA Executive Director. “We can’t think of a better place and a better time for stages, artists, music industry professionals, and policymakers to come together and finalize a plan to ensure statehouses and city halls are equipped with policies in 2026 to protect independent venues, strengthen local music ecosystems, and keep live entertainment thriving in every community.”
Summit programming will include the following sessions:
State of Live: Why Live Entertainment Policy Matters: Examining the impact and challenges of the independent live sector, nationally and in Indiana.
Sustaining Live: State Incentives and Live Performance Funds: How funding programs and legislative innovations can strengthen music ecosystems.
Ticketing 101: The Landscape and Legislation: An introduction to the live event ticketing system, market challenges, and current policy debates.
Cities and Live Policy: Strategies for partnering with local governments on zoning, sound ordinances, infrastructure, cultural planning, and more.
Navigating the Performance Rights Organizations’ Licensing Landscape: Practical guidance for managing the PRO process.
Growing the Coalition for Change: Building bipartisan, cross-sector coalitions to achieve meaningful live entertainment policy wins.
“Independent venues have always been creative problem-solvers, and across the country we’ve seen incredible examples of communities working together to protect live music,” said Josh Baker, CEO of HI-FI & MOKB Presents and Executive Director of Indiana Independent Venue Alliance. “The Live Policy Summit is an opportunity to bring those ideas to Indianapolis, engage our policymakers directly, and shape the future of the live entertainment industry. Hosting this event at HI-FI in the heart of the country feels especially fitting.”
Event Details:
Dates: October 15–16, 2025
Location: 1043 Virginia Ave. Indianapolis, IN
“It’s a privilege to partner with NIVA on the first-ever Live Policy Summit,” said Jason Webb, Tixel Co-Founder and COO of event sponsor Tixel.” “Real policy reform doesn’t happen in silos; it takes collaboration, alignment, and open dialogue. Conversations like these are pivotal to creating the kind of positive change the live music ecosystem, its artists, and fans are in desperate need of.”
Registration: The Live Policy Summit brings together NIVA members, independent live entertainment stakeholders, and policymakers. Space is limited. Priority registration is reserved for these groups, with additional invitations extended as space allows. Remaining tickets, if available, will be released to the public at a later date.
Sponsors: Tixel, Eventbrite, Meitus Strohm, Opendate, Prism, Sound Better with Tito’s, Tixr
Partners: IIVA (Indiana Independent Venue Alliance), HI-FI Indianapolis, Pattern, Backstage Social, Static Eye Design Co., Maia Olmstead
More information about the NIVA Live Policy Summit, including the full agenda and list of speakers, will be announced soon.
ABOUT NIVA
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is the national trade association representing thousands of independent live entertainment venues, festivals, promoters, and more. NIVA works to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of live entertainment. NIVA empowers members and their teams with member benefits, advocacy on the state, local, and federal levels, an annual industry-leading conference, and more.
NIVA led the Save Our Stages campaign, culminating in landmark legislation in 2020 that established the $16.25 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, the largest arts investment in U.S. history.
NIVA is committed to equity in its support of independent stages. It seeks 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.
CONTACT
Lucky Break PR
Kris Ferraro, Kris@luckybreakpr.com
Mike Stommel, Mike@luckybreakpr.com
