National Independent Venue Association Announces Registration Is Now Open For NIVA '26, Presented By Eventbrite
NIVA ‘26 to Take Place June 7–10 in Minneapolis, Featuring Programming Across Iconic Twin Cities Venues
Early Bird Registration Now Open, Offering New Student Discount
Click HERE to Register
(February 11, 2026) - The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) officially opens registration for NIVA ’26, presented by Eventbrite, taking place June 7-10 in Minneapolis. This year, NIVA will also be offering a new special student rate. Early bird registration is now available here.
The premier gathering of the nation’s independent live concert, comedy, promoter, venue, and festival industry, NIVA ‘26 will once again unite the independent live entertainment community with an immersive experience, featuring dynamic programming, educational panels, networking opportunities, entertainment, and notable speakers. This year, CAA music touring agent Carly James will be a featured keynote speaker, with more to be announced shortly.
NIVA ‘26 is presented by Eventbrite, a global events marketplace committed to supporting the independent live entertainment industry. The company also serves as the presenting sponsor of the NIVA Live Policy Summit, while maintaining its role as Title Sponsor of NIVA’s Industry Affairs Committee and a co-chair of the Fix the Tix coalition. With expanded representation on NIVA’s Advisory Board and ongoing advocacy for fair, transparent ticketing practices, Eventbrite and NIVA are working to ensure a more sustainable, equitable, and thriving future for independent venues, promoters, and artists.
“NIVA ‘26 continues our mission of convening the independent live community in cities where music, culture, and venues are inseparable,” said Stephen Parker, Executive Director of NIVA. “Minneapolis has a deep tradition of artistic innovation and independent stages that define its neighborhoods. Gathering our members here to share solutions, strengthen relationships, and build the future of live entertainment together is always an electrifying experience.”
NIVA ‘26 kicks off on Sunday, June 7, with the Opening Night Party at First Avenue, one of the most iconic venues in the country. The opening celebration will honor Minneapolis’ legacy as a music city, coinciding with a special Prince birthday celebration. It will recognize the venue’s historic role as the creative home for Prince, Lizzo, Soul Asylum, Atmosphere, and countless other artists who shaped American music.
Conference programming will take place Monday, June 8, through Wednesday, June 10, across venues, including Hennepin Event Center, Pantages Theatre, and Dudley Riggs Theatre, with nightly activations, happy hours, and venue takeovers hosted by NIVA member venues, including The Dakota, Icehouse, and Green Room. The conference will extend across the city, showcasing all of NIVA’s Minneapolis member venues.
This year’s conference will feature structured networking sessions, hands-on workshops, and programming tracks designed to meet the needs of every aspect of the independent live ecosystem, including:
Marketing and Ticketing
Booking and Talent Buying
Operations, Finance, and Accessibility
Advocacy and Policy
Nonprofit and University Presenters
Comedy and Alternative Programming
Sessions include:
Resuscitating In-Venue Sales: Alcohol, Beverages, Cannabis, & More
Alternative Programming That Fills Rooms
State of Play: Fundraising in 2026 and 2027
More Than Posters: Grassroots Marketing for Today
How to Navigate the Overwhelming PRO Maze with TourTech
When Radius Clauses Are Weaponized: Stopping Anti-Competitive Practices
Merch: Why Do We Treat It Like the Redheaded Stepchild?
Ticketless Shows: Using Free and Cover Shows to Drive Attendance
What’s Hot?: A Conversation with Top Bookers and Agents on Audience Trends
Accessibility is Hospitality: Best Practices for Welcoming Spaces
Latin Music Isn’t One Sound - It’s a Universe
Using AI for Good: Leveraging New Tools to Add Capacity & Connect with Fans
Cutting Costs Without Killing The Tour
The Attention Economy Collapse: Un-Common Frontiers to Get Your Show In Front of Fans
The conference will also include office hours for NIVA members with Meta and Google, as well as a live polling lab focused on industry cost pressures and sustainability.
More details on conference programming, panels, and speakers to be announced soon.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Early bird registration is available from January 13 to March 17, offering special discounted rates for students, artists, agents, and managers, reinforcing NIVA’s commitment to accessibility and professional development across the independent live music ecosystem. Non-member conference tickets are also available.
Additional information about registration, media credential applications, and host hotels is available here.
NIVA ’26 is presented by Eventbrite with support from sponsors, including Eventim, Spotify, Boston Beer Company, Sounds Better with Tito’s, etix, Prekindle, tixel, Cast & Crew, HUB International, Opendate, Prism.fm, Stage Water, InstantEncore, Una, Settle it Best, Cymbal, Refund Protect, Saffire, and VenuePilot.
Special thanks to our NIVA '26 Partners, Backstage Social, Fan Alliance, Maia Olmstead, MusiCares, Static Eye Design Co., and Sweet Relief.
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
