A working draft, not a finished policy
The argument so far: The Squeeze, met with proven moves Elsewhere, translated into The Build. Now your turn.
The Neck of the Woods community raised over $157k in under a week from 3,035 supporters by asking clearly for what they needed.The Venue Project is doing the same thing. We know the shape of the problem and we know the rough shape of a solution. What we don't know yet is the detail, and that detail needs to come from the people who actually operate in this space: operators, artists, crew, investors, councillors, lawyers, music fans. All of the above.
Chapter 01
Getting anyone through the door is the hard part. Hospitality-wide closures, monopoly capture, grassroots venues as the front line.
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Chapter 02
France's 3.5% levy, the UK arena £1 + Music Venue Properties, Australia's proposed split. Massey: $4.8M–$13.4M/yr in NZ.
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Chapter 03
PropCo (charitable trust) + OpCo (co-operative company) + a National Fund. The missing financial layer underneath IMVA's advocacy.
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Prompts for the room
Donate vs invest
The Neck of the Woods fundraiser raised over $157k in under a week from 3,035 supporters, with an average donation of about $52. But a permanent community share offer needs a different kind of commitment. What would make you invest rather than donate?
The NZ equivalent of MVP
The UK's MVP model lets music fans invest from £50 and receive a community share in a portfolio of venues. What's the New Zealand equivalent? What do you want in return for your investment?
Beyond the bar take
The bar take model is broken. What does a diversified revenue model actually look like for a 350-capacity venue in Auckland or Wellington in 2026?
Who holds the trust
The cultural lease protects operators from landlord risk. But who governs the trust that holds the property? Who do you trust to hold it on behalf of the community?
Where the levy goes
If the NZ government introduced a levy on arena and stadium tickets, where should the money go and who should administer it?
Where to pilot
Which venue, in your city, would you want to see piloted first? And why?
Get in touch
Forward this site to one operator, one musician, one promoter, one councillor. The conversation only matters if people outside the existing room hear it.
Have a perspective, a correction, or want to help build phase one? Drop a line — this whole thing is open for revision.