Tikly, a Des Moines-based platform for event ticket sales, is closing one year after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the company announced on social media Friday morning. The company aimed to lower ticket fees for live events by giving artists and venues direct control over tickets sold, and served clients in five countries over ten years; in early 2020, Tikly launched a free Virtual Tip Jar for artists and organizations to create revenue supporting online shows and events. Tikly was founded in April 2011 by CEO Emma Walsmith “as a dream to create a more democratic ticketing process for artists, venues and fans alike,” the company wrote. “In lieu of flowers, please buy a ticket to support a local show or venue. Only you have the power to keep artists making music and our local venues alive.”
