Live Music Society’s Impact Expands With Additional $202,500 In Toolbox Grants Awarded To 31 Small Venues
Nonprofit Builds Capacity In 2023 With $809,000 In Grants Given to 60 Small Venues, In Addition To Partnerships with House of Songs, NIVA, and AmericanaFest
Stephen Webber, LMS Board Member, and Lynette Wiley, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Jalopy Theater
December 6, 2023 — Live Music Society, the nonprofit foundation that has provided crucial grants to small venues and listening rooms across the United States since 2020, has expanded its impact significantly in 2023. This year, Live Music Society has granted a total of $809,500 to 60 venues via two newly launched programs, including the organization’s announcement today of a second round of Toolbox grant recipients. This month, $202,500 will be distributed to 31 venues across the United States, providing critical practical support to ensure the sustained growth and prosperity of these cherished establishments. In September, Live Music Society revealed the first round of Toolbox recipients, awarding just over $100,000 to 13 venues, and earlier this year launched their first Music in Action grant program. The Music in Action initiative provided $500,000 in funding to help venue owners and managers develop and implement creative ideas to engage their communities, expand audiences, and generate new revenue sources.
In addition to allocating key grants to small venues, in 2023 Live Music Society created new connections with like-minded organizations, showcasing their dedication to nurturing creativity and safeguarding the environments where musicians thrive. In September, the nonprofit partnered with global songwriter collaboration nonprofit The House of Songs to revive their artist hub in East Austin. Also in September, Live Music Society Founder Pete Muller presented during the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony in Nashville. At the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) '23 conference in Washington, D.C., Live Music Society hosted on-site activations and a panel that focused on the unique challenges and successes of small music venues alongside venue owners they've supported. Their contributions led to receiving the NIVA Community Development Award during The Independent Awards Gala, recognizing their initiative in enhancing the performing arts ecosystem within their neighborhood and community.
“These grants go beyond just supporting performance spaces; they foster a vibrant community where venues exchange knowledge, evolve together, and weave a richer cultural tapestry for our nation. This expansion isn't just about financial assistance; it's about helping to create an ecosystem where artists and audiences flourish hand in hand." — Pete Muller, Founder of Live Music Society.
“Small venues are the heartbeat of musical growth—they're where artists learn, make mistakes, and connect with communities. Our commitment lies in supporting these venues and understanding that they're vital launchpads for artists, where songs transform from garage or bedroom creations to stage sensations. Without them, stepping stones in the artist's journey are missing.” — Nona Hendryx, singer, activist, and Live Music Society board member.
Fortuna Sung and Matt Garrison, owners of ShapeShifter Lab
Go to the Live Music Society website to learn more about each venue receiving the Toolbox Grant: https://www.livemusicsociety.org/toolbox
The Second Round of 2023 Toolbox Grant Recipients are:
20 Front Street, Lake Orion, MI
Alex's Bar, Long Beach, CA
Beat Kitchen, Chicago, IL
Belltown Yacht Club, Seattle, WA
Cafe Colonial, Sacramento, CA
Casbah, San Diego, CA
Drkmttr, Nashville, TN
Floyd Country Store, Floyd, VA
Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, IN
Jalopy Theatre, Brooklyn, NY
La Peña Cultural Center, Berkeley, CA
Moe's Alley, Santa Cruz, CA
Natalie's Grandview, Columbus, OH
Next Stage Arts, Putney, VT
New Deal Cafe (NDC), Greenbelt, MD
No Class, Cleveland, OH
One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME
Opolis, Norman, OK
PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY
Portland House of Music, Portland, ME
Rambling House Music Bar, Columbus, OH
Real Art Tacoma, Tacoma, WA
Roots Music Project, Boulder, CO
ShapeShifter Lab, Brooklyn, NY
The Egremont Barn, South Egremont, MA
The Goodfoot, Portland, OR
The Hideout, Chicago, IL
The Lost Church, San Francisco, CA
The Parlor Room, Northampton, MA
The Venue, Aurora, IL
xBk, Des Moines, IA
The Toolbox grant money is designated for uses including regulatory compliance, enhanced accessibility, and for upgrading crucial systems such as ticketing and sales. This support empowers venues to elevate audience experiences, provide better backing for their staff and talent, and implement upgrades that can translate into new revenue streams. Some examples of the funded venues include the following: xBk, in Des Moines, IA, will be installing a portable wheelchair ramp and ADA-compliant stage to better serve artists with disabilities. The Hideout, in Chicago, IL, will be hiring a social media consultant to improve understanding of audience metrics and social media management systems and marketing practices. Moe’s Alley, in Santa Cruz, CA, will be installing a large flatscreen behind the stage to serve bands with visual elements in a space that cannot accommodate projection.
Both grants launched this year will continue to be annual programs. Read more about the first Music in Action grant on Billboard and keep an eye out for the announcement of the next round of applications opening in early 2024.
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 establishment in 2020, the nonprofit foundation has distributed over $3 million in grant funding to 164 venues, providing vital financial support to intimate live music spaces that nurture emerging talents, sustain established and under-recognized musicians, and ensure affordable access to live music in underserved communities. In 2023, the Live Music Society debuted two new grant programs: Music in Action, designed to engage communities and expand audiences, and Toolbox, offering critical and practical support to ensure long-term growth. Their efforts earned them NIVA's Community Development Award at the Independent Awards Gala in 2023. Live Music Society's recent partnerships with like-minded organizations like NIVA, The House of Songs, and Americana Music Honors & Awards illustrate their commitment to fostering creativity and protecting the spaces where musicians can grow.