Featured photo: Maiya LeGardye, the new general manager of Flint Local 432. Photo by Bryce Mata
February 23, 2022 -(New York, NY): Nonprofit philanthropic organization Live Music Society (LMS) announced today the spring 2022 recipients of the small music venue grant program. Their third round of grantees since establishing just under two years ago, LMS supplies philanthropic aid to music venues that have been in operation for three years or more with a sellable capacity of 300 occupants or less. The new round of recipients include such unique and established venues as Flint Local 432 (Flint, MI), DROM (New York, NY), and Volcanic Theatre Pub (Bend, OR) among many others.
“As the new general manager of Flint Local 432, the timing of this grant couldn’t be better,” said Maiya LeGardye: “The Live Music Society has ensured the Local comes back strong from the pandemic shutdown, just as we are starting to book a new slate of concerts in April and May. Beyond that, it is really gratifying to have our little all-ages club in Flint recognized by an organization supporting clubs across the country.”
“We are encouraged by a new sense of optimism as COVID restrictions ease, but conscious of the recent surge’s impact on venues that continue to face canceled performances and attendance below prior levels,” said LMS board member Adam Fell. “We are committed to creating programs that assist venues as they recover from the pandemic.”
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. To date, Live Music Society has provided funding to 126 venues in 34 states across the country totaling over $2.3 million.
Spring 2022 Live Music Society Grant Recipients:
118 North (Wayne, PA)
Black Cat (San Francisco, CA)
Bronx Music Heritage Center (Bronx, NY)
Chocolate Church Arts Center (Bath, ME)
C’mon Everybody (Brooklyn, NY)
DROM (New York, NY)
Flat Iron (Greensboro, NC)
Flint Local 432 (Flint, MI)
Godfrey Daniels (Bethlehem, PA)
ISSUE Project Room (Brooklyn, NY)
MOTR Pub (Cincinnati, OH)
nublu (New York, NY)
Real Art Tacoma (Tacoma, WA)
Rosa’s Lounge (Chicago, IL)
Soda Bar (San Diego, CA)
Songbyrd Music House (Washington, DC)
The Jazz Gallery (New York, NY)
Volcanic Theatre Pub (Bend, OR)
Past LMS grantees have included noted music stages such as Sunset Tavern (Seattle, WA), a 200-seat room known for its rock/punk/indie shows that’s become a piece of Ballard history; Jazz Showcase (Chicago, IL), the 170-seat landmark opened in 1947 by the late Joe Segal; Hotel Cafe (Los Angeles, CA) the intimate performance space featuring acoustic-based songwriters; and Caffe Lena (Saratoga Springs, NY), the 110-seat coffeehouse where Bob Dylan performed in his folk-singing days. See the full list of all LMS grantees HERE.
Live Music Society also supports “Empty Spaces,” a documentary series that highlights the stories of small venues across the nation, their significance to their community, local and touring artists, and the effect the pandemic has had on the venue and their staff. The latest episode features Seven Steps Up, a special listening room located in The Village of Spring Lake, MI known for their unparalleled hospitality and warm atmosphere. Watch previous episodes HERE.
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