Like many industries around the world, independent music venues have taken a big hit since the start of COVID-19 restrictions in March.

The Fox Cabaret #LightUpLive (Twitter / @adrawk)

At the end of last month, venues all over the country turned red in support of #LightUpLive – an initiative to bring awareness to an industry still in the dark.

They were the first to shut down and they will be the last place to reopen. Within a matter of days, an entire industry stopped. Music venues all around the world shut their doors this past spring, many of them for the last time. While major arenas like Rogers Arena and BC Place have corporate sponsors, small independent halls aren’t so lucky. Due to the sudden lack of revenue and no support from government, many were left with no other choice.

In an effort to combat that, earlier this summer, independent venues nationwide joined together to create the CIVC, or the Canadian Independent Venue Coalition.  Hundreds of concert halls, promoters, production companies, and festivals, rallied together to raise awareness to the issue and collect financial support.

The threat of venues closing is not a new issue here in Vancouver, you may remember the #SaveTheRio campaign in 2018. But never has it been on such a large scale.

Live events wouldn’t be the same without independent venues. For the new artists to grow, for those special shows with a band you love. There’s nothing like seeing an artist that close and personal, and let’s be honest – the acoustics are always better.

While none of the major venues in the city have announced any major financial trouble yet, the COVID-19 pandemic was the last straw for Squamish’s The Knotty Burl and Langley’s Gabby’s Country Cabaret. And they likely won’t be the only ones, according to the CIVC, up to 90% of Canada’s independent music venues are at risk of closing due to the pandemic.

The future is unclear for everyone, but this is especially true for the arts/events industry. We don’t know when we will be able to gather again like that, or what it will even be like when we do. A year ago I was in the pit at a concert, surrounded by hundreds of people, not knowing how terrifying that concept would be in 2020. A lot can change in a year.

So what can you do to help? #SupportCanadianVenues. If there are theatres you care about, connect with them. Many are asking for donations. Some, like Vancouver’s Imperial, have taken it upon themselves to also sell merchandise and gift cards to help carry them through. Contact your representatives and ask for more funding for these independent business and that they continue rent subsidies for them. Sign the petition. This way, when the world reopens, the venues can too.