Nonprofit philanthropic organization, Live Music Society (LMS) announced a third round of grants to be awarded this fall to live music venues across the United States with a maximum sellable capacity of 300. Grant applications will be accepted from September 28 – October 20, 2021 via the organization’s website.
Since its inception in 2020, LMS has committed to awarding one million dollars per year in grants to venues that promote and preserve the live music experience in intimate settings, where artists of all levels and all genres get their start, connect with their audiences and maintain their careers as performers. Individual grants range from $10,000-$50,000. Over an initial two grant rounds, Live Music Society has awarded grants to thirty-six venues in twenty-nine cities totaling over $1.2 million.
“Small, live music venues throughout the U.S. are owned and operated by music-lovers who are tirelessly devoted to their community, their staff, and their artists,” says LMS founder Pete Muller. “Without small music clubs, so many of our most promising artists wouldn’t have a place to share their work, hone their craft, and build their audiences.”
“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, many of these clubs have been fighting to keep their doors open," continued Muller. "Live Music Society is focused on making sure these wonderful spaces stay solvent and independent. It is time to acknowledge and support the great efforts that these venues have made to keep our communities connected and vibrant through the gift of live music.”
Grantees have expressed their enthusiasm for Live Music Society’s mission. “Their generous grant is going to provide us with the resources we need to reopen this fall and we’re so excited welcome our family back into our venue,” enthuses Gene Dobbs Bradford of Jazz St. Louis. “We’re going to use [this grant] to support young emerging artists like we’ve been doing for 25 years, says Tim Tuten of The Hideout. “And every day, every year there’s a new group of young people who will be supported.”
Live Music Society encourages small venues with 50-300 sellable seats prior to Covid-19, established on or prior to July 1, 2017, to apply. Venues must be committed to live music as their primary activity to be eligible. All eligibility requirements and the application can be found on the organization’s website at http://livemusicsociety.org.
Prior grantees include:
Ivy Room (Albany, CA)
Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center (Berkeley, CA)
The Hotel Cafe (Los Angeles, CA)
The Mint (Los Angeles, CA)
The Casbah (San Diego, CA)
Kuumbwa Jazz (Santa Cruz, CA)
Dazzle (Denver, CO)
Hi-Dive (Denver, CO)
Cafe Nine (New Haven, CT)
The Hideout (Chicago, IL)
Subterranean (Chicago, IL)
The Jazz Showcase (Chicago, IL)
SPACE (Evanston, IL)
Maple Leaf Bar (New Orleans, LA)
Club Passim (Cambridge, MA)
The Parlor Room (Northampton, MA)
Jonathan’s Ogunquit (Ogunquit, ME)
Seven Steps Up (Spring Lake, MI)
Jazz St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
The Word Barn (Exeter, NH)
The Bowery Electric (New York, NY)
Caffé Lena (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Levon Helm Studios (Woodstock, NY)
BOP STOP @ The Music Settlement (Cleveland, OH)
Mercury Lounge (Tulsa, OK)
The Kennett Flash (Kennett Square, PA)
Club Café (Pittsburgh, PA)
McGonigel’s Mucky Duck (Houston, TX)
Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe (Galveston, TX)
Jammin’ Java (Vienna, VA)
Zenbarn (Waterbury Center, VT)
Barboza (Seattle, WA)
Fremont Abbey Arts Center (Seattle, WA)
The Royal Room (Seattle, WA)
The Sunset Tavern (Seattle, WA)
Cactus Club (Milwaukee, WI) The Kennett
