Over the years, we’ve refused to run approximately 1000 Kickstarter campaigns for bands and artists, as if you run one, you’ve got to run them all to be fair type thing. For once we not only support a Kickstarter, we feel it as our duty as a publication and live-music consumers to help spread the word, as well as kick-in a few bucks of our own to help bring back one of the last DIY venues in the city.
If you’ve been to Shea then you know full well what it offers – a cheap night of music in a modest venue with cheap/cold drinks. The staff there may be the friendliest around and the bands’ that have played there (which are numerous and aplenty) swear by the place, making it not only a destination for New Yorkers, but international acts alike.
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You can get the full rundown and DONATE on the Kickstarter site but here’s the statement from the owners and a brief rundown of what your money will go to:
“We want to make Shea a completely legal, 100% permitted venue to protect its future. Starting in January 2017 Shea began receiving a series of violations related to the legal use, zoning and licensing of our building. Some shows were interrupted, some were shut down and as a result, many were moved to other venues. There were no vacate orders given and our building was not condemned or deemed unsafe; we chose to shut down preemptively to prevent racking up more expensive fines and risking more serious repercussions.
A variety of governmental & political factors threaten the existence of spaces like Shea. We had always treated the possibility of a shutdown as inevitable but as we stare down the insanely powerful forces that stand between us and full legalization, we now know we owe it to the community to continue despite a long road ahead.
So you may be asking yourself “If it was going so well, why does Shea need my help?” It’s because since day one we’ve put the artists first. For years, we’ve operated at the lowest possible overhead in order to maximize profits, not for ourselves but for the struggling musicians, artists, and comedians who come through our doors.
Your generosity will bring back Shea better than ever. We’ve always sought to reflect what this community expects and needs from a space, and operating above board means we can have higher visibility and open up to new types of programming, including free daytime events & workshops to serve you better. Once we meet our goal we can begin work to open the space to the public later this year.”
You’d help Shea pay for:
Renovations to pass inspection by the Dept of Buildings, FDNY & Dept of Health ($20,000)
Architect fees for drafting plans & filing permits ($13,000)
Fire safety training ($1,000)
Health & bar permits ($7,000)
Legal fees ($14,000)
Shea needs your help and we have no doubt the community will do what it does best: when one of us falls, we pick each other up. The show must go on, and it will with your help. Donate now and do your part in preserving all ages community spaces in NYC.
Sincerely,
Adam, Nora, Luke & the Shea Stadium Family
**As of posting, they’ve already surpassed the halfway mark, but will need every penny to move forward to bring back one of our favorite venues – please consider donating.
