Dear Anyone Who Cares about Culture in Chicago,
On Wednesday 5/14, Chicago City Council is planning on (quickly and quietly) voting on an ordinance that would "severely impede small music venues from hosting and promoting live music."
The ordinance would require all venues with a capacity of over 100 people to:
- Purchase an event promoter license that could cost as much as $2000 every two years
- Possess liability insurance of $300,000.
- Subject the possesor of the license/insurance to finger-printing and background checks.
The idea is to crack down on illegal promoters and make venues safer for the public, but the steps involved seem poorly thought-out, and hastily assmebled.
The new ordinance will make it even more difficult for DIY promoters,and smaller/non-established venues to put on a performance (be it music, theatre or art) without some very expensive regulations.
As written elsewhere, "It could effectively nullify Chicago's music scene, fracture our creative communities and send young artists to other cities that are more supportive of local [...] events."
From Sun Time music critic Jim DeRogatis' blog:
“'The language of the ordinance as drafted unnecessarily and perhaps prohibitively increases the cost of doing business for any promoter seeking to work with PPA- [public place of amusement] licensed music venues, including, among many others, Schuba’s, Buddy Guy’s Legends, the Vic Theater, the Riviera Theater, the Metro, the Hideout, Uncommon Ground and Martyr’s,' said Alligator Records founder and CMC board member Bruce Iglauer."
Spread the word, call your Alderman, do whatever but DO IT FAST please.
Gracias,
-B
Find your Alderman here: http://www.chicityclerk.com/citycouncil/alderman/find.html
Offical Website: http://savechicagoculture. org/
Jim DeRo's Blog: http://blogs.suntimes.com/derogatis/2008/05/update_musical_advocates_gear.html
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