A new database resource profiling the music venue landscape in the Central Okanagan was launched on Feb. 14.
Last year, Creative Okanagan embarked on a mission to compile an inventory of music venue spaces available to host music events, catering to local and touring musical artists, promoters, agents, tour managers, funders and potential investors.
Karma Lacoff Nieoczym, creative director of the Creative Okanagan Artist and Events Development Society, said the need for an updated venue inventory became apparent as the society engaged with people in the music industry in 2020 and 2021 to develop a society strategy moving forward.
“We noticed that a lot of people approached us and were asking the same type of questions in wanting to know more about local venues that we have,” Lacoff Nieoczym said.
Coupled with the subsequent impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the society saw the music entertainment sector “needing support to get going again.”
While the database unveiling represents phase one of the project, the society’s hope is phase two will build on the existing inventory to provide as comprehensive a record as possible for the public to access.
The kind of information included in the database listings are venue capacity, stage and audio specifications, ticketing requirements, and food and beverage availability.
The project fits with the overall goal of the society, created 12 years ago, to have appropriate and adequate high-quality thriving music spaces that prioritize safety and inclusivity in the region.
To check out the database, visit https://creativeokanagan.com/okanagan-music-venues.
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