Photo: Leila Bodreuil at ISSUE Project Room in Brooklyn, NY
The Toolbox grant provides venues with funding ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to support crucial areas such as ensuring compliance with regulations, enhancing accessibility for people with disabilities, and upgrading ticketing and point-of-sale systems.
This financial support is geared towards empowering venues to prioritize audience experiences, foster a supportive environment for staff and talent, and unlock new avenues for revenue generation.
Fall 2023 Grantees
20 FRONT STREET, Lake Orion, MI
Regarded as one of the top independent venues in the country, 20 Front Street engages guests with an intimately immersive sonic experience unlike any other. In 2016, several families joined together to transform this old antique shop in Lake Orion, Michigan into a beautiful, intimate music venue. Artists from all over the world have shared their gifts in this divine, up-close and personal listening room.
ALEX’S BAR, Long Beach, CA
Alex’s Bar in Long Beach is a high-energy punk rock bar & live music venue. The space is drenched in blood red decor with velvet paintings of Elvis Presley, Mexican wrestlers and conquistadors hanging on the walls. Thick red curtains skirt the stage where acts like the Offspring, Black Flag, Eagles of Death Metal, punk legend Mike Watt and John Doe of X have performed.
BEAT KITCHEN, Chicago, IL
Located in the heart of Roscoe Village, Beat Kitchen has been serving up Chicago with an excellent variety of live music, food and beer since 1994. The historic building was constructed in 1889, with the back room previously serving as a neighborhood butcher shop prior to being converted into a live music space. Both touring and local musicians, comedians and artists grace the stage with shows almost every night, including some of the biggest names in live music & comedy.
BELLTOWN YACHT CLUB, Seattle, WA
BYC was established independently in 2018 in the basement of the historical Barnes Building, right in the heart of the Belltown neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. The underground club has hosted artists and musicians from all over the world, from Grammy-Award winning, to first-timers and everything in between. Our stage is home to many independent touring acts, as well as many artists from Seattle’s thriving pre-existing and emerging music scene.
CAFE COLONIAL, Sacramento, CA
When Cafe Colonial was at risk of shuttering in 2018, Gabriell and Ben Garcia took over the lease for the beloved DIY club. Since then, Cafe Colonial has been considered the place to go for live punk, metal and alternative music by Sacramento locals — with the DIY spirit still alive.
CASBAH, San Diego, CA
The Casbah opened in 1989 in a location just up the block from the current site. Acts such as Nirvana, Lemonheads, Smashing Pumpkins, Drive Like Jehu and The Jesus Lizard all performed there in the early ‘90s. They moved into their current location in January 1994, and in January 2024 will celebrate their 35th anniversary of booking local, national and international acts 7 days a week.
DRKMTTR, Nashville, TN
For over five years, Drkmttr has served Nashville as one of the only all-ages DIY spaces, hosting underground music, community gatherings, drag nights and more. The volunteer-run arts collective strives to be a center for community, meaningful change and a safe space for all.
FLOYD COUNTRY STORE, Floyd, VA
The Floyd Country Store is renowned as a place to experience authentic Appalachian music, and is home to a group of musicians, flatfoot dancers and cloggers who are carrying on the tradition of their families who’d pass the time playing music and dancing together. Everywhere they could, these folks would gather with their friends and families, from their front porch to the neighbor’s kitchen. In the 1980’s, Folks in Floyd took to coming out to the General Store and began the Friday Night Jamboree tradition that continues today.
HOOSIER DOME, Indianapolis, IN
Hoosier Dome is an all ages music venue in Indianapolis and a long-running staple in the midwest. Since 2010, Hoosier Dome has been building the music community by hosting both emerging and established artists. Hoosier Dome is always dedicated to creating a safe space for all people to come and enjoy live music in a positive and intimate setting. Dome is home.
JALOPY THEATRE, Brooklyn, NY
The Jalopy Theatre and School of Music is a multi-faceted arts space showcasing evolving folk and traditional music and art from New York City, the Americas and the world. Our programming supports artists, fosters multi-generational community and provides enrichment and education about our shared musical heritage.
LA PEÑA CULTURAL CENTER, Berkley, CA
Since 1975, La Peña Cultural Center has been a central site for Latinx, Caribbean and Indigenous diasporic communities of the Bay Area to preserve and celebrate cultural traditions, present new interdisciplinary creative works and nurture grassroots social justice movements with artists, activists and allies. Our founding as a "peña" — or place offering music, food and political support to cultures of resistance in South America in the 1960s-’70s — has guided our program of challenging dominant narratives and centering marginalized positions for nearly fifty years, and we proudly stand as the last such "peña" still in existence today.
MOE’S ALLEY, Santa Cruz, CA
Since 1991, Moe’s Alley has been a musical institution, featuring live music from local and regional to national and international artists. We pride ourselves on offering a diverse range of music with top-notch sound in an inclusive and safe environment. With a full bar, large outdoor heated patio and tasty food from a local food vendor, it’s everything you need to enjoy a great night of music.
NATALIE’S GRANDVIEW, Columbus, OH
Natalie’s, founded in 2012, is a dynamic venue that features two separate live music stages presenting a variety of local, national and international acts. The venue also provides full-service food and bar service for each stage. Natalie’s regularly programs three separate events each Wednesday through Sunday in addition to other special programs.
NEW DEAL CAFÉ (NDC), Greenbelt, MD
The New Deal Café serves as a "watering hole” or "living room" for the Greenbelt community. We invite a broad and diverse audience into our living room and have created an engaged and connected community. The New Deal Cafe music program this year has won first place in Washington City Paper’s 2023 Best of DC for Best Place to Experience Local Music and Best Place to Have Dinner with Live Music, plus additional recognition for Best Jazz/Blues Venue, Best Music Venue, Best Performing Arts Venue and Best Neighborhood Music Series. We try to be a showcase for lesser-known bands who have not yet established a following.
NEXT STAGE ARTS, Putney, VT
The Next Stage Arts Project is a non-profit organization that stimulates cultural engagement by creating opportunities for collaboration among audiences, artists and educational and arts organizations. Located inside an historical 18th-century building in the small, Vermont village of Putney there is a 200-seat, state-of-the-art, fully accessible performance venue with an art gallery and community space.
NO CLASS, Cleveland, OH
No Class is a female/POC-owned and operated small music venue in Cleveland, OH, that was recently voted Best Metal Bar, 2nd Best Gay Bar, and placed top 3 for Best Hip Hop, Comedy and EDM club. We take pride in our inclusive and diverse programming, hosting everything from punk rock to drag, death metal to R&B, techno to flea markets, and everything in between.
ONE LONGFELLOW SQUARE, Portland, ME
One Longfellow Square’s (OLS) mission is to engage our community in the shared experience of a broad range of exceptional live music and support musicians at all stages of their artistic journey. OLS is one of Portland, Maine’s most versatile, non-profit performing arts and concert venues, showcasing the work of folk, bluegrass, Blues, jazz, Americana, roots, rock, local and genre-defying artists. Each year, OLS presents upwards of 150 performances, supports over 500 artists, and connects with 12,000 audience members.
OPOLIS, Norman, OK
The Opolis has been Norman, Oklahoma’s staple micro venue and vegan food restaurant located in the heart of downtown for 20 years. In February 2023, the venue transitioned into a worker-owned cooperative. Each member of the co-op has lived and worked in downtown Norman for the last decade and the Opolis is where most of them got their start in musical performance. The previous owners, Andy and Marian, built a legacy for providing a unique creative space for all types of events and the co-op is determined to carry that legacy into the future.
PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY
PAUSA art house is the winner of JazzBuffalo Poll 2022 - "Best Small Jazz Venue" and is located in the Historic District of Allentown, Buffalo New York. PAUSA presents a wide variety of music shows and artistic exhibitions from local, national and international artists. The relaxed atmosphere of the venue attracts patrons who wish to attend an intimate concert or an art exhibit while enjoying a glass of wine, beers, spirits, tapas and panini sandwiches.
PORTLAND HOUSE OF MUSIC, Portland, ME
At the heart of Portland's vibrant arts and entertainment scene, Portland House of Music stands as a beacon for music enthusiasts, culture aficionados and community-seekers alike. Nestled in the eclectic and lively city of Portland, our establishment is more than just a venue — it's a destination that celebrates the magic of music and the spirit of togetherness.
RAMBLING HOUSE MUSIC BAR, Columbus, OH
Rambling House was originally created in 2014 as a craft soda production facility, before expanding into the Rambling House Music space, a bar and music venue located in Columbus, OH. Now, Rambling House Music Bar is a favorite community place to see live music, comedy and entertainment. Patrons enjoy a welcoming space to sip cold brews and cocktails made with their delicious sodas, while soaking in the sounds of talented local and national artists on their legendary stage.
REAL ART TACOMA, Tacoma, WA
Real Art Tacoma is an all-ages event space and music venue whose aim is to create a space for young people to exist; to express themselves, to find and build community and to be empowered through art, music and the free exchange of ideas.
ROOTS MUSIC PROJECT, Boulder, CO
Roots Music Project is a Boulder nonprofit whose mission is to empower musicians, audiences and venues to connect and create a thriving and inspiring local music scene. In their venue, they book local emerging artists and host workshops and classes to help musicians hone their craft.
SHAPESHIFTER LAB, Brooklyn, NY
ShapeShifter Lab is a performance space in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Opened in 2011 and originally located in Gowanus, they host some of the world’s most innovative artists who are looking for a flexible platform to present their work.
THE EGREMONT BARN, South Egremont, MA
The Egremont Barn has been voted the Best Small Music Venue in the Berkshires every year since it opened in 2016. The venue is housed in a renovated barn built in 1820 that is listed on the National Historic Registry. In that time, it has produced well over 1000 shows and become a community hub in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and been featured in such national publications as Vogue and Rolling Stone.
THE GOODFOOT, Portland, OR
In early 2001 The Goodfoot opened to little fanfare on once-quiet Stark street. Word quickly spread of the music venue that shunned plastic cups, favored local organic ales, and hung rotating art shows. By summer, sweaty crowds packed the dance floor to a rotating cast of DJs and bands — both local and national. With the upstairs pub renovated and roaring, The Goodfoot settled in, got comfortable and became a neighborhood staple. Nearly two decades on, they’ve hosted thousands of musicians and artists, welcomed the thirsty and watched as Portland transformed into an international city.
THE HIDEOUT, Chicago, IL
The Hideout is located in a 100-year-old balloon-frame house, built in two days, still here a century later. It is surrounded by factories, and the looming City of Chicago Fleet Management Facility. Every night for over a decade, punk rock, alt-country, indie rock, post-rock whatever break out their instruments and play like it is the last night on earth. City workers and grade school teachers, art students and plumbers, bikers and bike riders all converge at the corner of Ada and Wabansia Streets to dance and sing along to their favorite and obscure bands.
THE LOST CHURCH, San Francisco, CA
This Lost Church is a nonprofit arts organization that serves their community by creating, sustaining and defending spaces for live performance. Their two theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area host over 450 performances a year featuring regional and touring artists.
THE PARLOR ROOM, Northampton, MA
The Parlor Room was founded in autumn of 2012, when Signature Sounds Recordings moved to a new location in downtown Northampton. The record label's original vision for the venue was to host occasional performances by label-affiliated artists, but the new venue proved quite popular. The Parlor Room hosted over 1,000 performances in the following decade and is now Northampton's beloved artist-and-audience-friendly listening room/performance space/school of music.
THE VENUE, Aurora, IL
The Venue is a live music performance space in downtown Aurora, Illinois. The flex-space listening room can be configured for reserved high- and low-top tables, general admission or standing room only shows. They book nationally recognized talent in all genres of music from blues and big band, to rock and world music, and everything in between. Frequently, their opening acts feature regional and local musicians and songwriters.
xBk, Des Moines, IA
xBk is a state-of-the-art 250-capacity performing arts and music venue/listening room. Having opened in September 2019 as an homage to owner Tobi Parks’ former Brooklyn, NY home, xBk is dedicated to creating superior live event experiences in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Summer 2023 Grantees
CACTUS CLUB, Milwaukee, WI
Cactus Club is an artist-run, queer-owned, multi-disciplinary arts and performance space in Milwaukee, WI. Engaging with a culturally expansive and intergenerational cross-section of the city, the venue aims to foster meaningful relationships, highlight important artistic voices, develop local talent, and provide high quality arts programming to folks near and far. The organizers work to provide a supportive and amorphous platform for creative experimentation, tastemaking curation and interactive educational opportunities.
GRAND ANNEX, San Pedro, CA
Grand Annex is a 150-seat cabaret venue run by Grand Vision in the heart of San Pedro’s thriving arts district. Grand Vision Foundation and renters regularly produce excellent performances here. State-of-the-art sound enhances a unique listening experience, complemented by a commitment to community.
HUNGRY BRAIN, Chicago, IL
For over 20 years, Hungry Brain has presented jazz and improvised music in Chicago. Musicians Mike Reed and Josh Berman began hosting the weekly Sunday Transmission concert series in January of 2001. Over the next two decades, the series served as a local incubating clubhouse for up-and-coming musicians. It has also become another anchor on the international stage for free-wheeling improvisers. Since 2015 the musical offerings at Hungry Brain have grown to also include early jazz & blues, electronic explorations, and forward-thinking singer-songwriters.
MAPLE LEAF BAR, New Orleans, LA
Maple Leaf Bar is an iconic neighborhood watering hole located on the funky Oak Street corridor, way uptown, New Orleans, Louisiana, and host to live music seven nights a week for most of its existence. You’ll find a unique mix of local legends, Grammy Award winners, musical heroes and up-and-coming talent on the stage nightly, and on occasion — all at the same time.
PERFECT NOTE, Hoover, AL
Karen and Tremayne Thompson said their lives have always been about music, and they achieved a lifelong goal with the opening of their own jazz supper club in Hoover, Perfect Note. “Our tagline is, ‘the perfect place for your live music and dining experience,’ and so far, our customers’ response supports that claim,” said Karen Thompson. “Doing this has always been our dream.”
RUMBA CAFE, Columbus, OH
Established in 2006, Rumba Cafe has grown into one of the top and most reputable small concert venues in the country. Rumba provides an intimate small venue capacity concert space with advanced sound and lighting in the Old North Columbus Neighborhood.
SKYLARK CAFE AND CLUB, Seattle, WA
The Skylark is an extension of your living room, a place where you can relax, be comfortable and have a good time. Nested between Delridge and Pigeon Point, The Skylark provides an oasis for the community in West Seattle, providing: weekend brunch, live local music, Seattle's best open mic and weekly trivia, highly curated local tap rotation, scratch made menu and house smoked meats and veggies with GF/V options.
THE FALCON, Marlboro, NY
The Falcon is a multi-level music & arts space, restaurant & bar, nested in the hamlet of Marlboro NY. The Falcon was created by Tony Falco, a visionary & patron of the arts who dreamt of a place where music could be performed at the highest level and shared with everyone, no matter their financial status. The Falcon’s top floor is a 150 seat theater, restaurant and bar with high vaulted ceilings and rotating art gallery wall space. Designed for great acoustics and furnished with top of the line instruments, the space creates an intimate environment for music to be presented at the highest level.
THE FOOTLIGHT, Ridgewoood, NY
The Footlight is a community supported art space providing a platform for emerging artists in Ridgewood Queens since 2016. The Footlight hosts a variety of programming from open mics and workshops, to live music, dance, and new works theater performances. They also self-publish and distribute an in-house Zine, The Footlighter, curated by resident visual artist Tim Shea. In addition, as part of their programming, they have partnered with the Self-Portrait Project since 2018, enabling guests to tell their own visual stories on their own terms at our events. Footlight prides itself on hosting a multitude of inclusive and diverse events.
THE FOUNDRY CONCERT CLUB, Lakewood, OH
The Foundry Concert Club, located on the border of Lakewood and Cleveland, is one of the area’s underappreciated but acclaimed music venues. Cleveland Scene has named the space Northeast Ohio's best metal club for multiple years. The Foundry caters to niche audiences, earning it the reputation as a home for hard-rock and heavy-metal bands, but also includes an eclectic mix of performers on its schedule, including hip-hop groups and DJs.
THE HOTEL CAFE, Los Angeles, CA
From a close-knit family of local singer songwriters, to well known icons opting for a more intimate setting, the Hotel Cafe has been celebrating the live music experience for over 20 years. By hosting early career performances from names like Adele, Katy Perry, The Lumineers, Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, Leon Bridges, Mumford and Sons, Sara Bareilles, and many others, it has been labeled a break out room for many independent artists.
THE WORD BARN, Exeter, NH
Originally the horse stable of Raynes Farm (circa 1695), the renovated barn provides an experience unlike any other. The intimate setting, welcoming vibe, and vibrant energy has kept performers and patrons alike coming back for more, time and time again. The Word Barn serves as a unique and intimate glorified house concert setting and concert experience unlike any other. With impeccable acoustics, inspiring setting, unique interaction with performers, and a combination of seats, stools, and balcony, it provides a superb community gathering space centered around quality events.