Today marks the debut of Raise The Stage, a new storytelling series that will spread the good word about independent venues across the country. Jai Alai IPA, the flagship beer from Cigar City Brewing created Raise The Stage in partnership with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). Each episode will focus on a given venue, sharing the perspective of artists as well as the local community to highlight the import and impact of independent venues in 2026.

The first venue to receive a Raise The Stage profile is the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY. Subsequent episodes will be devoted to 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville, The Social in Orlando; Songbyrd in Washington, D.C.; and Ardmore Music Hall in Ardmore, PA. In conjunction with this initiative Jai Alai IPA will serve as the title sponsor of a NIVA marketing grant offering assistance to independent venues in an effort to “strengthen local engagement, visibility, and long-term sustainability.”

“Independent venues are the grassroots and the foundation of every artist’s journey in addition to being the vital cultural and economic driver in every city,” NIVA Executive Director Stephen Parker says of the program. “Jai Fidelity’s Raise The Stage platform is a chance to celebrate and support these spaces and the local communities and artists who keep them thriving.”

Jack Farris, Brand Director, Cigar City Brewing, adds, “Music has always been about connection—between artists, audiences, and the places that bring them together. With Jai Fidelity and Raise The Stage, we’re supporting the communities and venues that make those connections possible.”

The first Raise The Stage video appears below, as Marco Benevento and Karina Rykman share their thoughts on the Bearsville Theater with the venue’s Director of Operations Jenn Glickman.