Recently I was privileged to be on a panel event in Hudson discussing the value of the creative economy as an economic and quality of life development tool for the city. This was primarily pitched to local business leaders and county based economic development corporations. Cat Henry, Executive Director of the Live Music Society, a NFP granting organization, was on the panel with me rolling out the 2026 Hudson Jazz Festival line up. I was impressed with her understanding not just of the music biz in general but her focus on supporting specific venues and educational initiatives to ensure a vibrant music ecosystem for this important creative economy market segment.
Please state your name, title and organization. Can you share a bit about your educational and career history?
Hello! I’m Cat Henry and I serve as Executive Director for Live Music Society (LMS). I’ve worked in music since I was a teenager, in a variety of roles that have included stage manager, production manager, talent buyer, concert producer, lounge/wedding singer and frequently, coffee maker and truck driver. Outside of this invaluable life experience, I also hold a BFA in Music Performance from The New School Jazz & Contemporary Music Program.
Prior to my role at LMS I served as Vice President Concerts and Touring, for Jazz at Lincoln Center, where I managed the organization’s concert seasons at Rose Hall, worldwide touring of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dizzy’s Club programming, and concert marketing.
Although a resident of Brooklyn since 1990, my love affair with upstate New York was supercharged in 2020 when I began working with Hudson Hall in Hudson, NY, to program and produce the annual Hudson Jazz Festival. 2026 marks the ninth year of the festival, held the first weekend in October. (October 1-3, 2026)
What is the history and mission of Live Music Society?
Founded in 2020, Live Music Society’s mission is to recognize and protect small venues across the United States. We seek to empower venues through our various programs, including grants, tours, webinars and in-person convenings. Our goal is to have a long-lasting, positive impact on a community of music listening rooms that provide creative space for artists, affordable access to culture, and often operate as a gathering space for diverse and inclusive communities.
Music and the venues that support them are a critical part of the Creative Economy. Can you share a bit about the importance of these spaces from a placemaking and ecosystem perspective? Also, how do you go about collecting impact metrics for the organizations you represent?
First, small venues offer an intimate experience between performer and audience that cannot be replicated by any other platform. They are where musicians hone their skills, build their fan base and develop into the artists we know and love! Many are also important community spaces that present a variety of affordable artistic experiences and some serve as a feeder system for the larger music industry. Despite being drivers of local economies, tourist destinations and creative hubs, they often struggle to receive the recognition and support they need.
We aim to shed light on their key role in the creative economy. Through our grantmaking, we award around $1 million per year to fund creative and practical projects from programming to community festivals and education. Since 2020, we have distributed $5.9 million in grants to 250 unique venues, supporting live music stages, emerging talents, established artists, staff and patrons, with a focus on engaging communities, expanding audiences, increasing representation, and enhancing the live music experience.
LMS was launched with a mandate to make the grant application process and reporting requirements less onerous than similar grant programs. Reducing barriers to participation involves addressing financial, logistical, and psychological obstacles. Impact measurement is often reflected in the improved financial stability of a venue and the key difference in our grant reporting is that we seek the stories behind the funds – although I should emphasize that we have strict financial reporting for compliance reasons. Anecdotes, testimonials, audience feedback, and video evidence of the projects are submitted along with audience or membership numbers or other metrics relevant to each project. We have partnered with many of our grantee venues to produce a YouTube series, American Road Trip, that provides a window into their experience as a grantee and allows us to make more people aware of the great work they do.
How many organizations have you supported in the Capital Region? Can you list a few?
I am not sure whether all are in the Capital Region, but have funded a number of beloved spaces in NY State in addition to many in New York City. Some familiar names may be Caffè Lena (Saratoga Springs), Levon Helm Studios (Woodstock), No Fun (Troy), The Falcon (Marlboro), Earlville Opera House (Earlville), The Colony (Woodstock), Towne Crier Cafe (Beacon), Abilene Bar and Lounge (Rochester), Upper Jay Arts Center (Upper Jay), PAUSA Art House (Buffalo) and Old Songs (Vorheesville).
NYS Emergency Pandemic Funding
$5K The Colony : Woodstock (2020)
$35K Levon Helm Studios : Woodstock (2020)
$40K Caffe Lena : Saratoga Springs (2020)
$5K The Falcon : Marlboro (2021)
$5K Abilene Bar and Lounge : Rochester (2022)
$5K Old Songs : Vorheesville (2022)
$5K Upper Jay Arts Center : Upper Jay (2022)
NYS MiA and Toolbox Project Funding
$40K Caffe Lena : Saratoga Springs (2023)
$7K The Falcon : Marlboro (2023)
$5K PAUSA Art House : Buffalo (2023)
$25K Towne Crier Cafe : Beacon (2025)
$7K 443 Social Club : Syracuse (2025)
$8K No Fun : Troy (2025)
$40K Caffe Lena : Saratoga Springs (2026)
What tools do you have for readers interested in participating in or sharing the story of LMS programs and their value to the Creative Economy in general?
Follow us on socials! We very much value our social media community, and of course that’s how many venues and artists promote shows, share their work and create connections with others. We often do social collaborations with our grantee venues and the artists they present. You can find us @livemusicsociety and @onenightlivetour.
If anyone would like to make us aware of a venue that may be interested in our grant programs, please write to info (@) livemusicsociety.org. Eligibility criteria is on our WEBSITE.
BONUS: Any projects or events coming up you would like to make us aware of?
Last year, we expanded our reach through One Night Live, a touring initiative in collaboration with D-Tour Live and artist support organizations including Salt Lick Incubator, Cleveland Rocks and Midtopia that allows a new generation of talented artists to tour, often for the first time. We recognize that presenting new talent is core to the mission of many small venues but it is so hard to take risks in the post-pandemic economic climate. However, small venues continue to be essential to working musicians’ careers and a pipeline for the commercial music industry. By touring venues 300-cap and under, artists understand whether they have what it takes to build a following. By offsetting the venue’s fixed costs and providing artists with support, we are making it possible for emerging talent to tour our growing venue network.
We have a One Night Live tour that began July 24 with Frail Talk, a Colorado-based duo. Frail Talk’s Alex Woodchek and Cor Wright released their sophomore album, Microspirit, in 2024, which was featured on NPR Tiny Desk’s ‘Top Shelf’ and Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Fresh Finds Folk’ playlists. They describe their dreamy folk-pop as “squiggly music for squiggly people,” so if this resonates with readers, this band is for you!
Remaining tour dates, locations and ticket links at ONE NIGHT LIVE TOUR and
IG: @onenightlivetour.
WEB: livemusicsociety.org | SOCIALS: @livemusicsociety