CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — In Part Two of Courier Pigeon’s series on unconventional performance venues in Chicago, host Mai Martinez explored how these spaces can help empower marginalized artists to expand their own spaces and give performers different paths to monetizing their talents.
If you missed it, Part One of this series covered the history of non-traditional venues and how they look. Artists shared experiences of performing in art spaces, coffee shops, churches and even a motorcycle repair shop.
Now, Courier Pigeon shares how unconventional venues are helping artists make more money by letting performers take home as much as 100% of their merchandise sales and giving them greater control over the financial side of live entertainment.
Moreover, performing at alternative venues can give artists, such as writer and comedian Kenya Elan, access to another supportive, welcoming venue.
“I think that’s why I also tend to lean toward these spaces more often … I have another way of knowing that I belong, and I have just as much to offer,” Elan said.
For Joe Tyse, these non-traditional venues have become some of his favorite places to perform.
“It's crazy, because as a performer, you could perform at the big places, but that's not really where the energy is,” Tyse said. “The energy is for those small rooms. where the capacity is 60 people, 70 people, because the energy transfers a lot easier.”
You can listen to Part Two in its entirety above. Part One can be found here.
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