Why Independent Music Venues Matter
Whether you go to shows every week or just once in a while, you know live music brings people together. And it’s independent venues - small, local, community-driven spaces - that keep Portland’s music scene alive.
1) Independent Venues Drive Local Economies.
Independent venues fuel a ripple effect: they draw visitors, drive spending at nearby businesses, and support hundreds of jobs for musicians, bartenders, sound engineers, and local vendors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and culture generate $1.55 billion annually in Maine—and venues are at the heart of that.
When a venue closes, the entire network around it feels the loss.
2) They’re the Backbone of Portland’s Cultural Identity.
Portland’s creative identity isn’t shaped by mega-venues or arena tours. It’s built in the small clubs, theaters, and DIY spaces where local artists take risks, new sounds are born, and marginalized voices are heard.
Independent venues make space for collaboration, experimentation, and community. Without them, Portland becomes quieter, more predictable, and less inclusive.
3) They Launch Artists’ Careers.
Small rooms are where creative careers begin. From open mics and support slots to sold-out homegrown headliners, Portland’s independent venues offer artists a chance to grow - and audiences a chance to discover something new.
These stepping stones matter. Playing a 50-cap room today leads to 500-cap rooms tomorrow. And venues like the State Theatre and Thompson’s Point? They’re part of that same indie ecosystem, not above it.
What sets them apart is who runs them - local people who live here, care deeply about this community, and actively invest in the scene that raised them.
4) They Make Portland a Place Worth Living.
These spaces do more than host shows. They’re where neighbors meet, where memories are made, and where people feel like they belong.
This fight isn’t just about opposing Live Nation—it’s about standing with the people who keep Portland vibrant: the venue owners, bartenders, bookers, artists, and fans who make this city worth living in.
The Real Talk.
What kind of Portland do we want to live in? What happens when we lose the places that bring us together? Even if you only attend a few shows a year, your voice and support matter. Because when independent venues disappear, we lose more than music. We lose a piece of who we are.
Support the Maine Music Alliance.
Support Portland’s independent venues.
Support the future of our city’s culture.
Portland Venues & Organizations That Say NO To Live Nation
The Apohadion Theater
Bayside Bowl
Blue
Empire Comedy Club
Flask Lounge
Geno's Rock Club
Grime Studios
Live at Madrid's
Mayo St Arts
Maine Music Alliance
One Longfellow Square
Opera Maine
Oxbow
Portals of Portland
Portland House of Music
Portland Ovations
Portland Stage Company
Portland Symphony Orchestra
Prism Analog
SPACE
State Theatre
Sun Tiki Studios
The Thirsty Pig