Local music, event venues receive millions in federal funding

“We use our shows as a way to bring people together.”

ROANOKE, Va. – The seats and stage at 5 Points Music Sanctuary that sat empty for months are full once again.

Like other music and event venues across the country, founder and director Tyler Godsey said 5 Points was hit hard by COVID-19 closures.

“The entertainment industry was one of the last ones to really get the focus in terms of subsidies and funding for helping us to recover,” said Godsey.

But help has finally arrived. The Small Business Administration just released data on local grants awarded through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. Millions of dollars have gone to event venues across Central and Southwest Virginia.

5 Points received nearly $170,000, money that Godsey plans to use to upgrade the stage and PA system and invest in his staff.

Across-the-Way Productions, which puts on FloydFest, was awarded nearly $1.3 million. The Grandin Theater received almost $500,000 along with many others.

But Godsey said it’s not just about the money. The shows support 5 Points Music Foundation, which provides free music therapy to all age groups, ranging from 3-year-olds with Down syndrome to veterans with PTSD.

The nonprofit also advocates for hearing loss and accessibility. Godsey is proud to have kept those programs going throughout the pandemic.

It’s a cause close to his family’s heart. He and his two children are deaf.

“My two children were both born deaf. And they both receive Cochlear implants at a young age, at 11 months. And that gives us that gift of sound,” said Godsey.

That gift of sound is what Godsey hopes to share with the community for years to come.

“Our goal is to give you a moment that you to hold onto, so that whatever battle, whatever struggle you’re fighting outside those doors, you walk away from here knowing why you fight,” said Godsey.


About the Author:

You can watch Lindsey during Virginia Today every weekend or as a reporter during the week!