The entire scene of CLT independent venues and theaters all need your help. These places, where normally we flock for some of our favorite musicians, performances, and to see our most beloved bands, are major contributors to the city’s arts and cultural scene. The recent COVID closures have forced them, like so many other small businesses, to shut their doors. In the meantime, unable to make sales, many of the theaters are struggling to ever be able to reopen. This is where we, as a community, can make a difference.
“We are in critical condition,” Greg McCraw, owner of Maxx Music, the company that operates the Neighborhood Theatre, told The Charlotte Observer. “Over the 24-year history of Neighborhood Theatre, there have been several crisis moments when the public was concerned the Theatre would close … This moment is the most dire I’ve experienced.”
Neighborhood Theatre’s GoFundMe is here. Even small donations go a long way.
Meanwhile, The Visulite Theatre, another staple for CLT independant venues, is also in major need of support. Their GoFundMe is here. Again, they encourage and are immensely grateful for any amount.
Places like Cajun Queen, The Evening Muse, and Hatties are also in need of community support.
Looking for more ways to be of support to the industry at large? Due to the pandemic, more than 1,000 independent venues have come together to form the National Independent Venue Association. Their goal is to support these local venues and help lobby for aid during this crisis.
In their letter to Congress last month asking for help, the association cited a study that shows that for every $1 spent on a ticket at small venues, a total of $12 in economic activity is generated at surrounding restaurants, bars, hotels, and other businesses.
The CLT independent venues, theaters, and performing arts centers, just like all small businesses, are an integral part of our city and an integral part of our economy. We need them as much as they need us.
Support today.
