ENCORES Act Introduced In Congress, NIVA Endorses

The Entertainment New Credit Opportunity for Relief & Economic Sustainability (ENCORES) Act has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) to provide tax credit to music venues for refunded tickets. 

The ENCORES Act proposes to provide tax credit to venues worth 50% of each refunded ticket for cancellations prompted by the COVID-19 shutdown. Only businesses that offered voucher alternatives to refunds; that promote, produce or manage live concerts, comedy shows, sporting events and live productions; and that have 500 or fewer full-time employees are eligible.

“As the first to close and last to open, independent art centers across the country are at risk of closing,” said Rep. Kind. “In this time of such uncertainty and darkness, we cannot allow the light of the arts to go out. I am proud of the work we’ve done to put together a bipartisan proposal to help independent venues continue to thrive when this crisis ends.”  

The National Independent Venue Association has endorsed the bill, saying the legislation would help independent venues keep afloat during this extended shutdown.

“Not only do we have no revenue and enormous overhead, it’s much worse,” said Adam Hartke, co-chair of NIVA’s Advocacy Committee and president of Hartke Presents. “When shows were cancelled due to the pandemic, it was like a vacuum cleaner to our bank accounts, causing hundreds of millions in negative revenue at the worst possible time.  The ENCORES Act is incredibly helpful to independent, mom and pop venues across America fighting to survive and we’re grateful that Reps. Kind and Kelly are fighting along with us.”

This new bill follows the Save Our Stages Act, which was introduced in the Senate. 

Last weekend the live industry was actively drumming up support for the RESTART Act before it returned to session on July 20 to craft what sources tell Pollstar will likely be the last relief package for 2020.