Episode #7 | Cody Cowan, COO of NIVA: The Future of NIVA & Live Music, NIVA Conference, and the Underlying Challenges for the Fate of Our Civilization

“NIVA successfully advocated for 16.25B dollars, the single largest arts grant in the history of the country” This is one conversation that you do not want to miss. Our inspiring, yet practical and informative chat with Cody digs into the roots of his love for music through snapshots of the rebellious Austin Punk Rock scene of the 90’s. Cody maps his mind boggling journey from being that punk rock kid, playing in DIY hardcore bands, to running Mohawk (one of the most iconic clubs in the world), graduating to advocating for all Austin venues, and eventually landing as the COO of NIVA–where he will advocate for all independent venues across the country. “This is one of the underlying challenges for the fate of our civilization” (00:10) - Introduction NIVA hangs with Biden at the Whitehouse to discuss ticketing fees (15:05) - Survival of the fittest, venues need to adapt and survive (17:02) - Cody’s story on how he got started in this industry / Historical moment in Austin music scene (23:53) - Tips to make it as a creative (26:17) - Cody’s reflections at fighting the good fight for Mohawk and Red River Cultural District (46:39) - The Founding story of NIVA (Music Industry Shutdown trigger warning) (01:02:39) - Future of NIVA / NIVA Conference preview (01:19:10) - Where will NIVA Con be held in the future? (01:22:00)- Concluding hopes, ambitions, and an extremely optimistic message for the future