The Campaign to #saveourstages
Legislation and social media support for small music venues across the country continue to expand. NIVA, the National Independent Venue Association, is continuing their #saveourstages campaign while lobbying for expanded small business protections. The RESTART Act, proposed by Colorado democratic senator Michael Bennet and Indiana republican senator Todd Young, would extend the “covered period” of the Payment Protection Program (PPP) from 8 weeks to 16 weeks.
If a business receives a PPP loan, their payroll is recorded during the “covered period,” and is used to determine the amount of loan forgiveness a business receives. By extending the “covered period,” businesses are given more time to meet the requirements for loan forgiveness. Businesses are currently required to rehire their full headcount before June 30 in order to be eligible for maximum loan forgiveness. The RESTART Act extends this deadline, affording businesses more time to rehire.
Local music venues, given their nonessential status, will be some of the last businesses to reopen. Rehiring a full headcount by June 30 may place dangerous pressure on them by forcing businesses to risk rehiring too soon, thus increasing expenses during a volatile time. A full overview is available here.
NIVA, whose Vermont members include Higher Ground, Nectar’s, The Flynn, and The Monkey House, is continuing to lobby for these changes, and is still seeking support from individual’s on social media, and by contacting representatives. Artists such as Katy Perry and Band of Horses have joined the campaign.
Local music venues, though shuttered, have maintained some activity. Higher Ground has been hosting virtual concerts, live-streamed through Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, and garnered over half a million views.
If venues like Higher Ground can survive in this state remains to be seen, but NIVA estimates that few music venues could survive longer than six months under current restrictions.
You can take action by contacting your representative through saveourstages.com, and using #saveourstages.
Text by Luke Vidic.
Cover photo by Matt Bogosian, courtesy Higher Ground.