NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville’s independent music venues are widely regarded as the heart of Music City, fostering new artists, songwriters and original music.
The nonprofit Music Venue Alliance Nashville (MVAN) works to ensure those spaces continue to thrive, and its signature event, 615 Indie Live, is helping make that mission possible.
Chris Ferguson, MVAN president, said independent venues offer something that larger concert spaces cannot.
“You can’t replicate that. You don’t get that same feeling in large venues,” he said.
With Nashville’s rapid growth and changes, Ferguson says keeping small stages alive is vital. MVAN supports venues in multiple ways, like providing financial assistance through its Emergency Relief Fund.
Earlier this year, the inaugural 615 Indie Live event raised $35,000 for that fund. The day-long celebration featured more than 60 local artists performing across 14 venues, drawing over 2,200 attendees.
“We had over 14 stages, over 60 artists, and got 2,200 attendees and fans to watch these local artists from noon until 3 a.m. at all these different venues across the city,” Ferguson said.
The event, produced with the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., showcases artists in every genre while giving fans a chance to discover new music and experience the city’s unique creative spirit.
“Independent music venues are where much of Nashville’s creative energy comes to life,” said Deana Ivey, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp."
The second annual 615 Indie Live is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.
Discounted early bird tickets are on sale for $15. Prices will rise to $20 when the lineup is announced in late fall and to $25 on the day of the event.
Passes provide entry to all participating venues, subject to capacity.
For Ferguson, the event’s value goes beyond fundraising.
“It’s a fun day and really great to bounce around these different venues and see all this incredible music,” he said.
Artist submissions are open for two weeks. Local performers and fans can submit acts for consideration through the event website.
For more information on tickets, lineup announcements and artist submissions, visit 615indie.live.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
Music lessons for just 50 cents! A Nashville music school has been providing that to area students for over 40 years including for the city's current mayor. As a child, I always wanted to take piano lessons. I was able to for about 6 months but had to stop due to family finances. I would have loved to have had access to a program like this at the W. O. Smith Music School.
- Lelan Statom
