A NEW Wellington music and arts collective, The Haunted Hotel Society is calling for more affordable venue space across the city.
The Society intends to launch a non-profit BYO location, to include a rehearsal space and gallery.
It also plans to launch a website to showcase the thriving music scene.
However, Booking manger, Jordan Stewart says there are few remaining affordable spaces for non-commercial musicians and artists to stage shows.
The closure of small venues such as, Happy and Fred’s last week, and The Adelaide and The Watusi in the past 2 years illustrate the problem.
Mr Stewart says the society is hunting for a location, but has found rental prices excessive in Wellington.
“We can’t really pay $1000 a week; it’s just far too expensive for a small collective.”
“There are a whole lot of empty spaces that people aren’t using at all, they’re just lying empty. They could be let out for a cheaper rate… and they should,” says Mr Stewart.
Daniel Beban, of recently closed venue Fred’s, hopes a new non-profit venue will start soon to put on music in mainstream pubs, but agrees that high rental prices are an issue.
“I’d like to see property owners have a change of attitude towards renting spaces for short term leases to groups for creative uses, at cheap rates. I think this would really help the music and arts scene in Wellington,” he says.
Jordan Stewart says one of the main objectives of The Haunted Hotel Society is to provide a space for bands to play at that doesn’t run on commercial imperatives, where people can be really creative.
“Bands… who are a bit avant-garde might end up being really amazing, but some venues won’t book them because they can’t guarantee that an audience will come to watch, and buy drinks.”
He wants to encourage more people out to see different things, but thinks alcohol prices in licenced venues are also off-putting.
“As soon as someone has to pay cover charge and then pay for drinks, they don’t want to go.”
Find out more about the society at https://www.facebook.com/#!/HauntedHotelSociety
