The Music Club as a Cultural Venue

Music clubs and other live music venues for popular music serve as hubs for exchange and interaction across diverse music scenes, offer newcomers a space to gain their first stage experience, and foster the development of artists. However, they are being hit just as hard by the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic as they are by rising rents, staff shortages, pressure to invest due to fire safety and noise control regulations, and a reluctance to buy tickets.

How are these venues coping with these challenges? And what motivates their operators to continue championing music despite these difficulties? This dossier presents a comprehensive overview of the situation, produced with the support of the Initiative Musik and the LiveMusikKommission (LiveKomm).