Chicago Independent Venue League

Founded in 2018, CIVL is a coalition advocating for over 50 member venues in and around Chicago, all independently owned and operated. CIVL acts to secure the long-term future of these and other venues for the benefit of our communities and emerging artists. Member venues have played a crucial role in the development of Chicago’s music over the last 50 years by nurturing local, national and international talent, and providing a platform for these artists to build their careers and develop their music. Chicago's independent venues provide thousands of jobs, as well as millions of dollars in salaries, revenues, charitable donations and taxes. CIVL strives to gain recognition for the essential role these venues have played in defining the music culture as it exists in Chicago today. Across the latter 8 months of 2020, CIVL worked in tandem with the National Independent Venue League (NIVA) to advocate for the passage of relief funding and legislation for Phase 5 businesses in music and the arts amidst the industry shutdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The organizations' combined efforts garnered nearly 2 million letters/calls/emails to legislators urging support for RESTART, Save Our Stages, and ENCORES acts, leading to the passage of the Save Our Stages Act and the implementation of the $16B Shuttered Venue Operator Grants (SVOG) program. CIVL constituents have also helped launch the CIVL SAVE (Staff, Artists, VEnues) Emergency Relief Fund, designed by Chicago venue employees, to provide grants to Chicago venues, their staff, and local artists as each struggle to survive the moratorium on live events. Visit CIVLChicago.com for more information on advocacy efforts, relief programs, webinars and community events, and membership inquiries.