Leadership / 12.28.20

The Year in Venues: Sanitation, Perseverance and Organization

Access Staff

Pollstar (12/14/20) Brown, Eric Renner

Venues paid a heavier toll during the coronavirus pandemic than any other member of the live events industry, as income came to a halt with bans on most public gatherings. Paltry government aid and charitable initiatives did not last long, with additional bailout legislation not materializing. One beacon of hope has been the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), and since its formation more than 2,900 independent venues have come together to survive the crisis. NIVA's main push is advocating the federal Save Our Stages Act to provide relief to venues of all sizes and categories. Arenas that prevail after the pandemic will have a wealth of innovations like rapid testing at point of entry to meet public demand for live music and assuage fear of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, drone sanitization and ventilation will help prevent the spread of germs, while contactless concessions and ticketing will further reduce transmission. There also are new accreditation initiatives like the Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR program and the International Well Building Institute's Well Advisory on Sports and Entertainment Venues, to validate venues' safety. Moreover, the venues themselves will be fortified by the newfound solidarity that NIVA has engendered.

Read the full story from Pollstar. 

Editor's note: Independent venues will receive $15 billion from the $900 billion COVID-19 Relief Bill. Learn more.

Tags: News , Venues , COVID-19 , Coronavirus