Live Music Society Announces $290,000 In Funding For 34 Small Venues in the U.S. To Assist With Needs That Enable Growth

Surpasses $1 Million in 2024 Funding with Largest-Ever Toolbox Grant Round

Non-Profit Has Given $4.1 Million To Support Small Music Venues Since 2020

The Pocket (Washington, DC), courtesy of Live Music Society
[Photo credit: Donnie Riggs]

November 20, 2024 — Live Music Society - the non-profit organization supporting small venues and listening rooms across the U.S. - has notified applicants to the 2024 Toolbox grant round about the status of their applications and awardees are in the process of accepting their grants. A complete list of awardees is posted on their website, and this year’s Toolbox grant round stands as the largest in its history, providing over $290,000 to support 34 venues—the most recipients awarded in a single round. The organization’s reach also broadens with this cohort, to include venues in Nevada, Kansas, and Georgia, demonstrating their growing impact across the country.

Live Music Society Toolbox grants are tailored to practical needs, helping small venues address short-term issues that can have long-term positive effects on the health and growth of the venue. Projects funded in this round include accessibility improvements, sound and lighting upgrades, and equipment that enables training opportunities in live music production and stage lighting.

Since the organization was founded by musician and philanthropist Pete Muller in 2020, Live Music Society has provided $4.1 million in grant funding to small venues and listening rooms across the United States and celebrates a milestone achievement by awarding $1,000,000 in 2024 alone. Live Music Society board president Gavin Berger says, “These grants ensure that small music venues remain vital spaces for creativity, learning, and connection. By reaching our $1,000,000 goal this year, we’re reinforcing our commitment to the small venues that foster local and emerging talent and provide access to live music in communities of all sizes.”

Among the 2024 Toolbox grantees are several all-ages venues focused on training programs that provide opportunities for underserved young adults, including Make.Shift Arts Space in Bellingham, WA, who plan to expand their current programs by offering training in lighting design. Their Toolbox grant allows them to upgrade their audio system and install LED lights, control system, and wireless receiver. The Holland Project in Reno, NV, the area’s only all-ages independent space, will be able to offer expanded production support to attract top-tier artists and will utilize their new gear to similarly offer more advanced tools for training in sound and lighting. Groundworks, a volunteer-run venue in Tucson, AZ, will provide their  volunteer crew with skills training to operate in the space while Tucson’s thriving music scene will benefit from their upgraded equipment.

Carpool Tunnel at The Holland Project (Reno, NV)
[Photo Credit: Trevor Castillo]

With Live Music Society’s support, some venues are celebrating significant anniversaries in 2024, such as Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz, CA, and The Focal Point in St. Louis, MO, both marking their 50th anniversaries with audio, video, and stage upgrades. Kilowatt in San Francisco, CA, celebrating 30 years, will also benefit from new sound equipment and enhanced seating.

Ben Wendel Group at Kuumbwa Jazz (Santa Cruz, CA)
[Photo: Courtesy of Kuumbwa Jazz]

X-Ray Arcade in Cudahy, WI, will be making their main entrance ADA-compliant with a new ramp, allowing more people to enjoy live music comfortably and safely. In Littleton, NH, The Loading Dock is addressing stage functionality by building a storage area for sound equipment and a drum riser, which will improve sightlines and stage organization.

X-Ray Arcade (Cudahy, WI)
[Photo Credit: Chris Gunn]

Previous grantees have shared their experiences on the transformative effects of Live Music Society’s support:

“Live Music Society is providing a much needed and extremely rare opportunity for venues to make improvements that often get pushed to the wayside. We were able to improve our sound equipment and upgrade the vibe of our stage, so it not only sounds amazing, it looks killer in photos and when people see it they know it’s Drkmttr, and that’s been game changing for our branding.” - Olive Scibelli, Drkmttr in Nashville, TN

"This generous support has enabled us to enhance our marketing strategies and broaden our market reach. After seven years of aspiring to advertise in a prominent Detroit metro publication, the assistance from Live Music Society has finally made this goal achievable. We deeply appreciate their role in helping us attract new audiences and welcome more visitors to our venue." - Kevin Bessert, 20 Front Street (Lake Orion, MI)

“The Toolbox grant allowed us to bring the music experience to a higher new level making our audience to truly appreciate live music at PAUSA. With the purchase of high-end speakers, mics and sound equipment the audience can fully immerse in the experience. Musicians appreciate the attention to detail and quality of the sound at PAUSA making it a desirable space to perform for local and touring acts alike.” - Lázara Martinez, PAUSA Art House in Buffalo, NY

Full List of 2024 Toolbox grantees:

Churchill School (Baker City, OR)
Make.Shift Art Space (Bellingham, WA)
ISSUE Project Room (Brooklyn, NY)
Snug Harbor (Charlotte, NC)
Rosa’s Lounge (Chicago, IL)
X-Ray Arcade (Cudahy, WI)
Lager House (Detroit, MI)
Red Clay Music Foundry (Duluth, GA)
Jamey’s House of Music (Lansdowne, PA)
Lucia (Lawrence, KS)
The Loading Dock (Littleton, NH)
Siberia (New Orleans, LA)
The Jazz Gallery (New York, NY)
Silvana (New York, NY)
The 5 Spot (Nashville, TN)
The East Room (Nashville, TN)
Ojai Underground Exchange (Ojai, CA)
The Sound Room (Oakland, CA)
The Apohadion Theater (Portland, ME)
SPACE (Portland, ME)
The Holland Project (Reno, NV)
The Focal Point (St. Louis, MO)
Jazz St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
Black Cat (San Francisco, CA)
Brick & Mortar Music Hall (San Francisco, CA)
El Rio, Your Dive (San Francisco, CA)
Kilowatt (San Francisco, CA)
Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club (San Francisco, CA)
Kuumbwa Jazz (Santa Cruz, CA)
Conor Byrne (Seattle, WA)
Fremont Abbey (Seattle, WA)
Groundworks (Tucson, AZ)
The Pocket (Washington, DC)
Rhizome DC (Washington, DC)

For details on each project, visit www.livemusicsociety.org/toolbox

About Live Music Society
Live Music Society’s mission is to recognize and protect small venues and listening rooms across the United States so that live music can remain accessible to all. Since its founding in 2020, the nonprofit has distributed $4.1 million through 210 grants to 180 venues, supporting live music spaces, emerging talents, established musicians, and affordable access to music in underserved communities. In 2023, they introduced two grant programs aimed at long-term growth and support, earning them the Community Development Award from the National Independent Venue Association. The Music in Action program focuses on engaging communities and expanding audiences, while the Toolbox program supports practical projects that enhance the live music experience. In 2024, they hosted the first Music in Action Summit, bringing together 31 grantee venues to share knowledge and inspire collaborations, underscoring their commitment to strengthening the independent venue ecosystem nationwide. Their partnerships with organizations like NIVA, the House of Songs, and the Americana Music Association show their dedication to fostering creativity and protecting the spaces where musicians can grow.