Chapter 4-157

Oppose Promoters' Ordinance from Metro Chicago

2008-05-12T10:57:00.001-07:00

Metro/Smart Bar asks you to oppose the Promoters Ordinance, which would require independent promoters to get licenses to promote events. Under the proposed law, independent promoters would have to acquire a promoter’s license at a cost of up to $2000 every two years, obtain liability insurance for every event thrown, even if the presenting venue already has liability insurance, be fingerprinted and background checked, and maintain extensive records of each event.

Metro / Smart Bar believes that this ordinance is unnecessary, as current regulation of PPA licenses and safety and security guidelines are sufficient. The ordinance also unfairly singles out small venues and venues without seating, with no justification for during so. The goal for any additional regulation should be enforcement of current laws and punishment of those who do not obey them, not increased burdens on existing businesses. Additionally, the Promoters Ordinance would negatively affect the Chicago music community. First, it would affect the bottom line of small businesses like Metro and Smart Bar, who make a significant portion of revenue from partnerships with reputable, incident-free independent promoters. Second, losing independent promoters means Chicago music fans would lose out on many small niche events important to minority groups. Third, restricting independent promoters would drastically cut into the ability to do charitable and political benefit concerts at Metro, as it would no longer be financially feasible for non-profit organizations to organize these events.

TAKE ACTION TODAY - Please email or call your alderman or alderwoman and voice your opposition to the Ordinance today! Email or Call your alderman and ask him or her to oppose the Promoter Ordinance. Be polite. Tell him or her you support live music in Chicago, and feel this ordinance would kill many great events. Say you want venues to be safe, but this ordinance goes too far. Place a call to your alderman’s office today. This page will help you find your alderman and give you his or her email address and phone number — quick and easy and only takes a couple of minutes.
http://www.chicityclerk.com/citycouncil/alderman/find.html

--
Jenny Lizak
Publicist
Metro/SmartBar
3730 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60613
773-549-4140 ext 212
jenny@metrochicago.com
http://www.metrochicago.com
http://www.smartbarchicago.com

Promoter's Ordinance from Girls Rock Chicago

2008-05-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

I feel my input would be of great benefit to you in making the decision to pass the new Promoters Ordinance.

I organize and promote benefit fundraisers for Girls Rock! Chicago, a 501(c)(3) non-for profit organization. We rely heavily on fundraising done mostly at music venues/clubs. Each benefit is planned extensively and staffed (sometimes over-staffed) with volunteers. We work closely with venues with a good reputation to ensure a worry-free and safe event. We have never had any trouble at any of our events.

If this ordinance is passed, many non-profits( I am not only concerned about Girls Rock) would not only suffer, but disappear. They simply do not have the funding to purchase a promoters' license and meet all of the requirements and expenses.

Isn't there some sort of middle ground here? I agree that we need venues to be safe, but I am afraid this ordinance will in effect, kill Chicago's local music scene.

Thank You,
Lacey Whittaker

--
::Lacey Whittaker
(815) 762-3280
Girls Rock! Chicago
www.girlsrockchicago.org

Personal Story Re: Ordinance's Effects

2008-05-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

I am a 27 year old acoustic folk musician who performs both solo and
with a small acoustic band. We are beginning to book ourselves in
larger and larger venues - moving up from little coffee houses - and
of course promotion is a huge part of what we do. We cannot afford to
pay a promoter and so we do all of it ourselves. We have almost zero
income for the band - we barely meet our expenses - and it would not
be possible for us to find $500 for this, nor in all common sense
should we have to.

Promotion is simply a way of letting people know where to hear some
music. And we are simply trying to make a career in music in Chicago.
If this ordinance gets passed we will either become constantly
involved in an illegal act and feel subsequently very unwelcome in
Chicago, or we will simply leave - probably along with a lot of other
young up-and-coming musicians - and move to a city that does not
restrict our careers or require things like registration with the
police or fingerprinting in order to let the public know we will be
singing in a small concert venue.

I would like to speak on behalf of the acoustic folk music community
in Chicago by saying that if this ordinance is passed, it will cripple
our chances of having a career here and of helping to enrich Chicago
with culture.

Sincerely,

Elisabeth Blair

House & Bird - folk noir
www.houseandbird.com

Small Promoter Against This Ordinance!

2008-05-10T05:01:00.001-07:00

I'm not understanding how promoters can be held fully liable for something that the venue owner should take responsibility for. A Venue Owener knows the specifications of capacity of thier venue before a contract with a promoter is signed. This needs to be taken into consideration. It is the owners that should let the promoter know when this capacity is met and then have the promoter turn patrons away if necessary when it is met. I understand the city wanting to do something legally in light of the E-2 tragedy, but the owner of E-2 was warned several times over a corse of many years about violations of crowd capacity and other safety violations when this venue was under other names.

If there is an ordinance, and it does involve the promoters liability, and responsibility if something goes wrong with a function he/she is throwing in a specific facility, why isnt this already covered when a "special Events" licence is obtained for these events. I think it is commendible of the City of Chicago to want to get into a soloution for what is apparenlty a subject so sensitive such as the E-2 tragedy, I just think that the city needs to look at the bigger picture of facility owners and their responsibilities when events are held. Then be fair about who should have the liability insurance, and other fail-safes in place when laws are being put together to assure that a tragedy like E-2 does not happen again.

as a small venture promoter, I emplore the city to consider these things when trying to write and pass new laws to assure the safety of patrons at special events or large parties.

please keep me posted on the progress of said proposals

thank-you kindly
Celestethedj

GOD can do ANYTHING but FAIL!!!
Join me for my New Internet Radio show
Now On http://cyberjamz.com"The Celestial Odyssey"
Every Saturday 1-3pm central standard time
http://www.myspace.com/celestethedj

CHIRP Official Letter

2008-05-10T04:59:00.000-07:00

May 9, 2008

Members of Chicago City Council:

We are the board of directors of the Chicago Independent Radio Project, a new local non-profit organization working to bring a low power community radio station to Chicago. Since our formation in August of 2007, we have been actively raising money to educate the public about the importance of community radio, as well as to apply for and build a radio station when a license becomes available. Like many small non-profit organizations, we have no paid staff, rely heavily on volunteers, and raise a large portion of our budget through special events including benefits at Chicago area venues. During the Chicago Independent Radio Project's existence, we have held more than a dozen events at small clubs, bars, and Park District facilities. All have taken place without incident.

We recently were made aware of the Promoters Ordinance, and would like to express our opposition to it. If this ordinance passes, it would make it cost prohibitive for the Chicago Independent Radio Project to hold benefit concerts to raise money, drastically affecting our ability to bring our services to the community. Although there is an exception for non-profit organizations in the ordinance, it appears to apply only to organizations that already hold 501(c)3 status, or groups that have been in existence for at least three years. In addition to eliminating all newly formed non-profit organizations, such as the Chicago Independent Radio Project, this requirement does not take into account the extremely long process of moving a 501(c)3 application through the system, which can take up to a year or more. As it stands, this ordinance would prevent our group from raising money through events for a substantial period of time, which would be financially devastating and could potentially end our organization.

In addition to hurting non-profit organizations, we are concerned that this ordinance would end the ability of small independent promoters to bring special events to Chicago audiences. Chicago's music community is remarkable because of the vibrant diversity of events � eliminating independent promoters' ability to throw events will reduce the diversity and vibrancy of Chicago's arts scene, which we believe hurts everyone.

While we appreciate the Committee's desire to protect the safety of Chicago music fans, we believe this ordinance would cause more harm than good, and we urge you to vote against it.

Sincerely,
Board of Directors of The Chicago Independent Radio Project
Shawn Campbell, President
Jennifer Lizak, Vice President
Kristin Marks, Secretary
Carrie Weston, Treasurer
Michael Ardaiolo
Mike Bennett
Dustin Drase
Andrew Mall
Mary Nisi
Erik Roldan
Chris Suity

Sample/Actual Letter

2008-05-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

As found on Yelp:

I've written this email and sent it in. You guys can rewrite it, copy/paste it, whatever, just get this law thrown out!!!
You can also CALL ALDERMAN SCHULTER'S OFFICE! (773) 348-8400!!
-------------------

Email: ward47@cityofchicago.org, MayorDaley@cityofchicago.org

Subject: In opposition to Chapter 4-157, titled "Event Promoters"

Alderman Gene Schulter, Mayor Daley and other City Council members:

I am writing in opposition to the proposal that recently passed in City Council regarding new regulations for city event promoters. As someone who helped organize a DIY festival to benefit rape victims in 2007, I know that we would not have been able to raise as much money as we did or generate as much community outreach without the help of small event promoters and clubs who will no longer be able to operate under the expensive and outrageous new regulations proposed in the ordinance that passed Wednesday.

Being a member of the media, I was shocked at how little I heard about this ordinance until it was relatively too late, and when I spoke to friends and colleagues about it, they were as outraged as I am. It was Mayor Daley who said, "It's the whole idea of what a city should be: the appreciation of the artistic community. That's the soul of a city."

This ordinance shows a complete disregard for the artistic community and appears to be drafted by people who are out of touch with those who stay in this great city because of its thriving independent art and music scene.

Already, Chicago has a scarce independent art and performance community represented within the city limits. The Museum of Contemporary Art rarely features local artists and the lucrative venues and companies that can afford these new limitations and meet these new requirements are discriminative towards independent art and music genres and un-sponsored events. Placing these restrictions on DIY promoters and small groups alienates the very art community the city relies on to assist with cultural diversity and neighborhood development (i.e. Wicker Park, Pilsen, etc). What's more, entrepreneurs are greatly affected as this ordinance will discourage business owners from providing press and promotions services.

Please reconsider this ordinance before even more of our artistic community leaves Chicago for the city support of Brooklyn or LA.

Respectfully,

Robin W.
Best Nest Media

Independent Promoters to get the Ax?

2008-05-09T01:08:00.000-07:00

My name is Mica Alaniz. I head up special events for CHIRP, the Chicago Independent Radio Project, and have worked in Chicago music for about five years now. I called my alderman, Scott Waguespack of the 32 ward (I'm a Roscoe Villager). His office informed me that this meeting was happening RIGHT THAT MINUTE, and if I had wanted to make my comments known that it would have been beneficial to catch the alderman before he had left for the meeting. I gave the women at this office an earful, about the ability for young people in Chicago to ONLY be able to be involved in music through underground events, and my experience running everything from punk/hardcore basement shows at 17, to a Flosstradamus party as a benefit for CHIRP this year. I can't imagine what this would mean to NFP organizations who use these kinds of events as their bread and butter and the people I know who are as bright as ever right now (Scott with Avant Trill, Willy Joy with Fly By Night, Zebo, are a few to think about), and how this will set everyone back.

I'm a young woman at 22, but a promoter, and an aspiring business owner, but even dreams of a promotions company LLC sets me apart from a pack of people who got started with a couple of numbers in their phone, a space to throw an event, and little to no capital. $300,000 Liability Insurance? Really? It's obvious this "Promoters' Ordinance" is being passed by people who have no idea of the community, the ethos or the processes of being a Chicago promoter, of throwing parties, running events, and furthering Chicago culture at large. What we do is a service; we bring talent to Chicago, we shine lights on local heroes and underdogs alike, and we make this city a fun and livable one with viable alternatives to whatever act can come through a 2,200 person venue. What this ordinance will do is put a lot of people in trouble, as I am not the only one, no doubt, who doesn't plan to change my career path right now, and we'll have to run events even more carefully (read: illegally) than we do now. Or this ordinance will kill independent promoters and events, from jungle nights at Cafe Lura to art events at the many Wicker Park galleries, hip hop at Funky Buddha to hardcore house shows on Chicago's Far North and South sides, house parties with a keg and a DJ to metal shows at Cal's and Reggies. Can the Chicago independent music community really take that blow right now, with the recession already affecting heads in the door, and drinks at the bar?

This site will bring attention to this issue. While the first committee meeting, like I mentioned, is happening at present, there is yet one more opportunity to voice our unique positions against this ordinance at the May 14th City Council meeting. I can tell you, my fellow promoter types are not as politically-minded, or civically-aware as we should be (and I only am through my work with CHIRP). While Alderman Waguespack's office made it clear that public notice HAD been given, it's obvious we're too busy concentrating on the work of pursuing our passions to realize that laws are being made that will directly affect our ability to continue. We need this sounding board to let all of us know what's going on, respond through comments, letters and connecting with each other, and to attend the May 14th meeting. Trust me, if enough people find out they're trying this again, we'll have a riot.

But I bet it'll be a really kick-ass party.

Thanks!
Mica Alaniz
Special Events Chair, CHIRP: Chicago Independent Radio Project