Independent Venue Week marks its fifth year stateside with shows taking place across the country July 11 – 17
Independent Venue Week will return for its fifth year July 11 – 17, 2022. Today, the event announces Big Freedia as 2022 Artist Ambassador and shares the first round of venues set to participate in the week-long series of programming celebrating the spirit of independence, powered by a partnership with See Tickets.
2022 follows four years of growth for Independent Venue Week which for its 2021 edition featured 450 shows in 350 venues throughout all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. More than 270 venues across 167 cities are already signed up to participate in this year’s event. From small rooms to large capacity spaces, in major cities and small towns, this year’s participants represent the wide variety and personality of independently owned and operated performance spaces. Returning venues include Minneapolis’ First Avenue, Cleveland’s Beachland Ballroom, and Seattle’s The Crocodile as well as first-time participants including NYC’s Brooklyn Made and Philadelphia’s Underground Arts. More venues are to be announced in the coming months.
Big Freedia joins past Independent Venue Week Artist Ambassadors Bartees Strange (2021), The Kills’ Alison Mosshart (2020), Fantastic Negrito (2019), and Prophets of Rage/Public Enemy’s Chuck D (2018), as well as artist ambassadors for the UK initiative including Wet Leg (2022), Nadine Shah and Portishead’s Adrian Utley (2018), Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood (2014) and more in drawing attention to the importance of this critical music industry sector.
Independent venues and promoters can still sign up to participate HERE
2022 Partners
NIVA’s inaugural conference, NIVA ’22, will take place July 11-12, 2022, in Cleveland at the top of Independent Venue Week. NIVA’s conference attendees will be able to take full advantage of the Independent Venue Week nighttime programming, further cementing the ongoing partnership.
See Tickets; the global ticketing company also supported the 2021 US edition Independent Venue Week, this year’s UK event, and is an underwriter of the ‘Independent Venue Speak’ podcast series.
About Independent Venue Week
Independent Venue Week brings together venues, rising and established artists, promoters, labels, media, and tastemakers for an international series of shows. The event has grown rapidly since Marauder brought it to the US in 2018. Independent Venue Week 2021 featured more than 450 Shows, in more than 350 venues in all 50 States, DC, and Puerto Rico. Founded in the UK by Sybil Bell in 2014, Independent Venue Week is a celebration of independently owned music, comedy, and performing arts venues. The event runs across the U.S. from July 11 – 17, 2022.
About Big Freedia
Known as the larger-than-life ambassador of New Orleans Bounce music, Big Freedia is a nationally recognized hip-hop artist, TV personality and cultural influencer. In addition to releasing her own critically acclaimed EPs, ‘3rd Ward Bounce’ (2018), ‘Louder’ (2020), and ‘Big Diva Energy’ (2021), Big Freedia covered “Judas” on Lady Gaga’s Born this Way The Tenth Anniversary album (2021). The Queen of Bounce also appeared on numerous high profile projects, including Beyoncé’s Grammy award-winning, “Formation,” and on Drake’s “Nice For What,” where she brings her distinctive voice and signature catchphrases to all her work.
Big Freedia is known for her infectious energy and personality. In 2019, she was the official host for the Met Gala IG Live Stream Red Carpet event and a host of 2021’s Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve TV celebration. Known by her fans as the “Queen Diva,” Big Freedia is a loud and proud advocate for racial and gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
In 2021, Big Freedia was honored as one of Ebony’s Power 100 and she has appeared on NPR, The Breakfast Club, The Problem with Jon Stewart, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Real. Big Freedia’s ascension in the music industry was chronicled over six seasons in the highly-rated reality show, Big Freedia Bounces Back from 2011-2016 on Fuse TV. Her critically acclaimed 2015 memoir, God Save the Queen Diva (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster) was released in paperback in 2020.
Big Freedia: YouTube | Instagram | Soundcloud | Facebook | Twitter | Website
