Last year, the National Independent Venue Association held its first annual conference in Cleveland. That organization was formed during the pandemic as a way to support an economic ecosystem that had been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Music venues were some of the first businesses to close when the pandemic hit, and some of the last places to re-open their doors.
This fall, the Cleveland Music Census is being deployed to gauge the health of the independent music venues across the region. The survey will take stock of how those venues have fared in the years and months since the shutdown, but also how they’ve dealt with supply chain issues, as well as securing federal aid.
The survey is going to come out on November 6th and the results are expected sometime in early 2024.
Monday on the “Sound of Ideas” we bring you a panel discussion organized by The City Club of Cleveland about the health of independent venues over the past few years.
On the panel were Cindy Barber, owner of the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern and the Executive Director of Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present, and Future, as well as Sean Watterson, Co-owner of The Happy Dog, and President of the Ohio Chapter of the Independent Venue Association.
The conversation was recorded at The Happy Dog and moderated by Ideastream Public Media Host and Producer Amanda Rabinowitz.
GUESTS:
- Cindy Barber, Owner, The Beachland Ballroom and Tavern; Executive Director, Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present, and Future
- Sean Watterson, Co-owner, The Happy Dog; President, The Ohio Chapter, National Independent Venue Association
- Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered", Ideastream Public Media
