Austin Venue Owners Seek To Fill SXSW Cancellation Void

AUSTIN, TX — A group of venue owners in the city's Red River Cultural District is seeking to fill the artistic void left in the wake of the SXSW cancellation in quickly organizing a concert series for artists who had hoped to perform during the annual festival shuttered over new coronavirus fears.

"The cancellation of SXSW due to global health crisis has and will adversely impact thousands of artists, hospitality and production workers, businesses and organizations that rely on that event to survive," organizers wrote in a GoFundMe page alerting to their move. The group seeks to provide financial relief to artists and music industry workers to recoup losses incurred over the cancellation of SXSW — the first such cancellation in the massive festival's 34-year history.

Mayor Steve Adler and other officials on Friday announced the declaration of a local emergency in light of the growing threat of new coronavirus — a respiratory ailment that has since been renamed COVID-19. The illness is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.

Related story: Coronavirus Forces SXSW Cancellation: Here's Why

To help mitigate resulting financial loss to artists, venue owners have teamed up to launch a 10-day series of concerts for artists who had relied on their SXSW gigs as part of their livelihood. The Red River Cultural District represents various live music venues — Cheer Up Charlies, Barracuda, Beerland, Empire, Elysium, Mohawk, Scratchhouse, Stubb's, Swan Dive and The Venue ATX — along with promoters Heard Presents, Margin Walker, Austin-based software startup Prism.FM.

As detailed on their crowdsourcing page, the effort dubbed "Banding Together" aims to:

• Ensure as many artists and events that want to continue on and perform a showcase in Austin in the following weeks are able to do so.
• Provide financial relief to artists, workers, and partners who have incurred un-recoupable expenses in connection with confirmed events and performances
• Provide financial relief for artists workers and partners who have lost income that they counted on to pay bills, rent, etc.
• Cover any additional expenses that may be incurred to ensure safety of patrons of these events as required by our local, state, and federal governments

"Our venues and staff are ready and willing to work to make ten glorious days of music, art, culture and technology happen across our city, and more folks around town are joining us every minute," officials wrote. "Artists and workers have incurred expenses to get to and stay in the 'Live Music Capital of the World' during the next few weeks."

While some industry workers have been reimbursed or refunded of their expenses, others are out thousands of dollars as a result of the SXSW cancellation, officials explained. To mitigate losses, the group hopes to launch a "re-homing" of events bereft of venues or cover expenses for those unable to afford music equipment or attendant staff, according to the statement.

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"We are actively working to put artists on replacement showcases," Banding Together officilas wrote. "If you are an musician, sponsor, content creator, influencer, production worker, bartender, promoter, manager, agent or philanthropist whose life blood is subsidized by SXSW please fill out the form HERE and someone from our team will reach out to support however we can."

Organizations forced to cancel events were urged to avail themselves of an opportunity "...to still make something cool happen in Austin" in light of the SXSW cancellation. "We know you still believe in supporting the community in Austin and want to help," officials wrote. "Know that this goodwill donation goes towards the thousands of people here, performing, working, and trying to survive; as well as your corporate karma."

At last check, the fundraising drive had raised $7,885 of a $100,000 goal from among 130 donors. To donate, click here. Organizers said donors would be given priority access to Banding Together concerts contingent on space availability and safety precautions. Participating organizations include:

• Heard Presents.
• Prism FM.
• Red River Cultural District.
• Giant Noise.
• 508 Tequila Bar Zorro.
• Antone's.
• ARCH.
• Arlo's Food Truck.
• Austin Symphony Orchestra.
• Bar-B-Que-Heaven.
• Barbarella.
• Barracuda.
• Better Days.
• Brick Oven.
• Cheer up Charlies.
• Dirty Dog.
• Do Stuff Media.
• Easy Tiger.
• Elysium.
• Empire Control Room and Garage.
• Esther's Follies.
• First Baptist Church.
• German-Texan Heritage Society.
• Grub House.
• Hoboken Pies.
• Holiday Inn Express.
• Hotel Indigo.
• Hyatt House.
• Koriente Restaurant and Tea House.
• Mala Vida.
• Margin Walker Presents.
• Mohawk.
• Pat's Sheetmetal.
• Pelon's Tex-Mex.
• Plush.
• Scratchouse.
• Shawarma Point.
• Sheraton.
• Side Bar.
• Stubb's.
• Swan Dive.
• Taste of India.
• The Beverly - Apartments (Roscoe).
• The Parish.
• The Side Bar.
• True Blue Tattoo.
• ValhallaVenue ATX.
• Waller Creek Pubhouse.