*Please note that replay coverage is limited to programming at Pantages Theatre and on the 2nd Floor of Dudley Riggs Theatre, with a few exceptions.
PANELS JUNE 8, 2026
STATE OF LIVE
NIVA Visionary Award Recipient: Jackie Nalpant, Presented by Sonia
Let’s Get Into the Weeds with Meta
A Generational Sound: Jimmy Jam and Cornbread Harris
Dave Shapiro Spirit of Independence Award presented by Tim Borror
When Radius Clauses are Weaponized: Stopping Anti Competitive Practices
Latin Music Isn’t One Sound — It’s a Universe
What Does Grassroots Marketing Look Like in 2026?
Accessibility is Hospitality
JUNE 9,2026
A Discussion: Artist and Agent
Your Venue Is Already a Content Studio - Livestream It
Fireside Chat with Bryan Perez & Dayna Frank
Precision Over Volume: New Rules of Email Engagement
PAC & Nonprofit Marketing: Selling the Show, Serving the Mission
PROs, Policy and the Live Music Economy
Fan Fair Pricing: Inside the State Fight on Ticket Resale
Funny Business: Comedy, Culture & the Metrics That Matter
Protecting and Advocating for Indies at the Local Level
Blayne Tucker Award(s)
JUNE 10, 2026
Finally: Real Google Answers for Independent Venues
Fireside Chat with Justin Kalifowitz and Fabrice Sergent
Fireside Chat: A Conversation with Patrick Carney of The Black Keys
NIVA CON 2027 Announcement
Turning Dark Nights into Bright Opportunities
End Overdose Workshop | 10:00 AM
AI Amplified: How Venues, Promoters & Festivals Can Win the Next Era of Discovery
*Artist Talk* Andrea Swensson In Conversation with Lori Barbero, Tommy Stinson, Dessa, Tommy Stinson and Lori Barbero
An introduction to the Association of Music Offices
Merch: Why Do We Treat It Like the Redheaded Stepchild?
The Live List: Artist Development in the Indie Ecosystem
As the leading conference for independent music and comedy venues, festivals and the promoter industry, NIVA brings the live entertainment community together to support, educate, and connect industry leaders across the United States.
The NIVA Conference is a place for NIVA members, agents, managers, affiliate members and interested partners to discuss the state of the industry and topics including safety, technology, inclusion, diversity, equality, accessibility, insurance, the economic impact of live entertainment, booking, artist development, ticketing, marketing, and the role of live entertainment in policymaking. Each keynote panel features prominent industry leaders, members of the media, recording artists, and NIVA members.
As the nation’s live entertainment association, the National Independent Venue Association’s mission is to cultivate, elevate, and advocate for an equitable and sustainable ecosystem of independent performance venues, festivals, and promoters.