A Milwaukee radio station and TV station used a radiothon to raise $25,000 for local music venues struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic.
FM102/1 (WLUM) teamed up with Fox 6 (WITI-TV) and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to #saveourstages with a 24-hour radiothon on July 10-11. The money raised supports local independent music venues and NIVA members: The Rave/Eagles Club, The Pabst Theater Group, Shank Hall, Cactus Club, and The Cooperage.
Independent concert venues were among the first businesses to close during the pandemic and will be among the last to reopen.
The radiothon was broadcast live from the empty stages of The Rave/Eagles Ballroom, The Pabst Theater, Shank Hall, Cactus Club, and The Cooperage. An online silent auction ran concurrently with the broadcast and included music memorabilia donated by the venues and musicians to help raise funds.
The radiothon featured special Milwaukee memories from some of the biggest alternative music artists, local celebrities talking about their favorite shows, and virtual tours of these historic venues.
There is a second chance auction being held now with additional items at the station’s website: FM1021Milwaukee.com
