We're glad you're interested in performing at Dry River. This letter is to help explain what you can expect from us and what we expect from you.

Dry River is a collectively run space focused on providing resources, education, and support for arts/music. We do this by hosting a "zine" and lending library, free classes and discussion groups, a free store, educational events, film nights, etc. One of our goals is to be open and welcoming to anyone regardless of their age, race, gender, sexual identity, or economic status.

Our main expectation from performers is that they do not practice and participate in speech and behavior considered racist, sexist/misogynist, or homophobic. While it is not our desire to censor art, it is our intention to have a space free of these attitudes and beliefs. Please don't feel that you have to "walk on eggshells" at our space. But it is important to us that we provide a space that is welcoming to everyone. If you need more explanation please let us know.

WE DON'T DO GUARANTEES. Shows at D.R. are all on donation basis. We try to have folks at the door to encourage and collect donations. Because we are not doing this for profit, we are just as interested in supporting touring bands as we are in collecting cash to help us pay the bills. All bands are welcome to sell their merch. If you want to pretend you're a rock star, you should go somewhere else. Neither DR nor the crowds who frequent appreciate it much and you won't be happy with our less-than-rockstar venue.

We normally don't pay local bands unless they are booking and promoting the show, it's an exceptional night financially, or some other arrangement has already been discussed.

We have a decent P.A. system, along with some mics and cables. If you have any special considerations please let us know so we can be prepared by the time of the show.

At times it is possible that we could provide you with some dinner and/or a place to crash for the night. It's not a promise, but let us know ahead of time if you could use some help and we'll see what we can do.

If you have more questions or need any details, just ask!

Dry River- 740 N. Main (& University)
1/4 mile E. of I-10, 3 blocks S. of Speedway Blvd.

Dry River

dear friends-

we operate on a donation only policy, because we think it's fucked up that most of the world operates on a payment only policy.

however, we live in a payment only world and this includes our space. we have rent and other bills to cover, as well as other random costs that pop up.

if you visit our space to see a show, as you walk through the door there is always a donation bucket sitting nearby with a sign on it that asks for 3-5 dollars. we really need your 3-5 dollar donation. it isn't like the free art museum at the u of a, where they have thousands of dollars coming in from other places to support it but they still put out a donation bucket. we really need your donations to continue to exist. the vast majority of people who come to our shows don't donate anything. sometimes at the end of a packed night we have only 5-10 dollars. i think this is really sad. i know that there are people out there who legitimately can't afford to kick down all the time. that's cool- dry river is here for you and you're the reason why we don't exclude anyone for financial reasons. but for everyone else who comes and just walks by the bucket and doesn't pitch in- please do! we need money really badly. our community doesn't realize what a fragile thing dry river is. we are constantly broke and constantly struggling to make our rent. if most people who came to our shows kicked down the 3-5 dollars, we'd be able to make our rent every month no problem. but the fact is- most people don't donate anything when they come to our shows. we have no back up- the day we aren't able to make our rent is the day dry river and all our shows and other wonderful events come to an end.

so- please please please, when you use our space, even if it's just coming in to watch a show or a film- contribute! money is the easiest way to help, but if you can't afford to pay, ask us how else you might be able to help out. dry river is a totally DIY space- all the people who staff the space are volunteers. we make no money for ourselves, we just want to be able to provide the space for the community to use. but we can't do it by ourselves. the community has to support places it feels are worth having.

carrie