A new NFT fundraiser will raise money to benefit the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and a few venues: Washington D.C.'s 9:30 Club, NYC's Bowery Ballroom, Nashville's EXIT/IN, Minneapolis' First Avenue, San Francisco's The Independent, Austin's Mohawk, Chicago's The Metro, Seattle's Neumos, New Orleans' Tipitina’s, and Los Angeles' The Troubadour. Digital art depicting the venues, created by Young & Sick and animated by Joe Motion, will go up for auction on MakersPlace beginning Wednesday, April 7 at 6 PM ET. Each is limited to a single NFT edition, and each comes with a "Golden Ticket" that gives the purchaser "VIP access and exclusive perks to future concerts and events."
"The outpouring of support for NIVA and these independent venues has helped us through this devastating time," Stephen Sternschein, founding board member and treasurer of NIVA and managing partner of Heard Presents in Austin, says. "We’re all really excited to meld this new marketplace of NFTs and our fundraising together to help the National Independent Venue Foundation foster this vital aspect of the live music ecosystem."