The Klobuchar Bill Would Give Up To $10 Billion For Struggling Music Venues In The United States

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is a major player in a bipartisan bill that could help save some big and small music venues around the state and the country. She has signed on with Senator John Cornyn (R-TEX) as part of the Save Our Stages Act which would put aside $10 billion in relief over the next month for Live music venues. Individual venues could get as much as $12 million dollars in relief or 45 % of 2019 operating costs.

City Pages reports a statement made by Klobuchar "Minnesota’s concert halls, theaters, and places of entertainment, like First Avenue in Minneapolis, where Prince famously performed, have inspired generations with the best of local music, art, and education. This legislation would help ensure that small entertainment venues can continue to operate, and serve our communities for generations to come."

I was actually just talking to a friend of mine about this exact thing and wondering how some music venues are going to survive? During a pandemic and required social distancing how can you possibly put on a concert even at a small venue? Plays are all completely shut down and no live music anywhere.

The beauty of this bill is it is coming from grant money, not loans or tax credits and how the bill is set up right now it defines who’s eligible to prevent big companies from gobbling up funds. While a majority of the venues listed are in Minneapolis and St. Paul 2 venues listed are in Duluth including Sacred Heart Music Center and The DECC .

The CEO of First Avenue Dayna Frank is heading up a new organization called "Save our Stages" that’s been lobbying in Washington D.C. for help since COVID-19 closed their doors earlier this year. Hopefully this bill will go through I for one cannot imagine not being able to go see live music or performances in smaller venues in the future.