Reimagining Music Venues - Ontario-wide research study drops Sept. 28

"Ontario’s live music venues are in crisis. Spaces have been shutting down all over the province for years, even before the industry was decimated by the pandemic. Audiences say they’re paying too much, artists say they’re not being paid enough, and venue owner/operators say they’re not making enough money to stay afloat.

But new venue models are popping up all over the world, providing hope that change is possible, from portable Stage Trucks to community-driven Cultural Land Trusts. A team of researchers from the University of Toronto School of Cities and Wavelength Music, led by U of T Sociology Professor Daniel Silver and Wavelength Artistic/Executive Director Jonathan Bunce [that’s me], have compiled 'Reimagining Music Venues,' an extensive new report that evaluates the state of live music in Ontario and whether these new models are the answer."

I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Prof. Dan Silver at the U of T School of Cities the last two years on a fascinating sectoral research project entitled "Reimagining Music Venues." This Ontario-wide study is very close to getting unveiled, so please join us at the launch event Sept. 28th in the Hart House Music Room, featuring presentations and a Q&A followed by live music performances by TENGGER (Korea/Japan) and MOONBEAN (Guelph/Toronto). It’s a free, non-ticketed event, so register now and show up early!

Poster + report design by Derek Ma.