Purpose

The State of Live report highlights the economic and cultural impact of independent venues, festivals, and promoters in every state. Hosting a community conversation around these findings is a chance to:

• Share the data with your community and policymakers

• Show what it means for jobs, tourism, and culture in your state

• Build allies across sectors to support public policy and investment in independent live entertainment

Identify & Invite Your Community

Bring together a mix of voices to strengthen the conversation. Along with NIVA members, invite:

• Owners, operators, and promoters

• Artists and promoters

• Fans and community members who can speak to cultural impact

• State legislators and city council members

• Tourism, economic development, and arts commission staff

• CVB leaders and nighttime economy directors

• Planning, transit, and small business advocates

• Nonprofit and for-profit partners who can speak to sector-wide challenges and opportunities

To help them truly understand the work behind the numbers, consider offering legislators and stakeholders a backstage tour of your venue to see day-to-day operations firsthand.

Frame The Invitation

When reaching out, emphasize that the State of Live report:

• Provides state-specific data on jobs, wages, tax revenue, and impact

• Shows how independent stages face unprofitability despite their value

• Offers policy recommendations that can be acted on now

This is a chance to turn data into action.

Prepare For The Event

• Review your state’s key stats and pull out the most compelling ones

• Pair numbers with local stories from your venue, artists, and audiences

• Translate big numbers into local terms (e.g., jobs in your county, tax revenue supporting schools)

• Coordinate with other NIVA members to present a unified message

Recommended Talking Points

• Independent stages are cultural and economic engines in [STATE]

• The State of Live shows measurable contributions to jobs, GDP, and tourism

• Despite this, only XX% of stages report profitability in 2024

• Policymakers can act by:

  • Creating liquor tax rebates and tax credits

  • Prioritizing public investment in cultural infrastructure

  • Advancing ticketing reform to protect fans and artists

  • Establishing a 10% cap on resale prices to curb price gouging

  • Ensuring independent voices are represented in tourism and development

Host The Conversation

• Welcome attendees and introduce your venue’s role in the community

• Use State of Live slides or printed one-pager to walk through findings

• Invite open discussion to connect the data with lived experience

• Share how other states are already using this research to pass policy

• Take photos and post on social media, tagging NIVA and officials

After The Event

• Send a thank-you note with key findings, asks, and a link to the report

• Share highlights with local press and on social media

• Provide materials (slides, graphics, handouts) as reference points

Build & Sustain Momentum

• Keep allies connected through a local coalition list

• Invite legislators and community leaders back for future shows and tours

• Attend public forums to make sure live entertainment is part of broader planning

• Keep reinforcing how State of Live can guide policy solutions

Remember: State of Live is both a mirror and a roadmap. It reflects the value and struggles of your state’s independent live sector, and it points toward the solutions that will keep these stages alive and thriving.