TN bill could help provide support for small music venues, owners struggling to stay afloat
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Small music venues in Tennessee could soon receive help from the state thanks to a new bill which would create a fund to help them stay open.
HB 2712 would benefit small venue owners, like Travis Collinsworth, who owns The 5 Spot located in East Nashville. It’s a place where singer-songwriters can get their start in the music industry.
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“We cater to local up and comers, give them every opportunity, try to get a little cash in their pockets,” said Collinsworth. “I love when I see people; some of their first shows they played in Nashville were here at The 5 Spot or similar venues, and now see them at the Ryman, at Bridgestone, on late night TV, on SNL…that larger ecosystem does not exist without clubs like this.”
In an interview with News 2, Collinsworth said running the business is a labor of love, but it comes at a price.
“People will walk into a club and see a 45-minute set and they think, ‘Oh, this place is making money hand over fist,’ but you don’t realize that these coolers run 24/7. We have every conceivable regulatory fee, insurance, rent expenses just get higher every single month, every year, and trying to pay staff a living wage.”
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To help small venues like The 5 Spot stay afloat, legislators are working on HB 2712.
State Rep. Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville) is spearheading the legislation with two key goals. The first – define what a small venue is in the Tennessee code.
“This legislation was brought to me by a musician that lives in my district,” said Garrett.
“The second piece of the legislation – there’ll be a fund that maybe potentially over time, the legislature in years to come can have a grant process where these small venues can access economic dollars.”
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Right now, there’s no money set aside for the small venue grants, but this is a start to make grants possible. The legislation mirrors funding during the COVID-19 pandemic given to small business owners. A house vote is expected this week.
“It’s really nice to see that we’re still on the radar after that because things haven’t rebounded. We still are nowhere near where we were pre-COVID levels,” said Collinsworth.
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