The City of Minneapolis will fill the streets and live venues with music and performances, thanks to money from the City’s Small Business Resiliency Fund (SBRF). A portion of the fund was awarded to the Arts & Cultural Affairs (ACA) team after Operation Metro Surge to ensure live venues, musicians and independent promoters receive a boost, and families and visitors can enjoy all kinds of performances. The summer and fall of music also comes on the heels of a new report that says Minneapolis arts and events venues help bring in $2.2 billion in local dollars to boost the area’s economy.
“Music has always been part of Minneapolis’ identity. It’s how we celebrate, connect with one another and showcase the creativity that makes our city unlike anywhere else,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “When our stages are full, our restaurants are busy, and our streets come alive. These investments are about helping our independent venues, artists and small businesses succeed while giving residents and visitors more reasons to get out and see what Minneapolis is all about.”
The $7 million SBRF is aimed at stabilizing small businesses and driving customers back to commercial corridors. Coming this summer and fall, the ACA team and other partners will use $500,000 of the fund for fee-free events, and music and venue activations to bring more community events to commercial districts. It also provides assistance to venues or organizations that wish to hold events in commercial areas, including paying for food or amplified sound permits. Events include:
The Minneapolis Mile of Music
This stretch of Main Street in Northeast through Nicollet Avenue will be host to free mini concerts at happy hour at different venues, which will include the Downtown Wednesdays Happy Hour. On Aug. 19 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., there will be different “zones” of music to depict several genres of music. These events help bring people to the City, patronize local venues, showcase some of the best musical talent and bring awareness to local acts that appreciate the support. Activity will happen nearly 25 spaces from:
- SE Main Street and Northeast around Aster Cafe, Nye’s, and Jazz Central, plus others.
- From Nicollett all the way through Loring Park to Eat Street Crossing, including Mara at Four Seasons, Brits Pub, MN Orchestra, Brühaven, Pimento, Copper Hen and others.
- Mile of Music partners with Downtown Improvement District’s Downtown Wednesdays Happy Hour Block Party – Nicollet Mall between S 9th & S 10th Street – a street party that includes music, food and community.
“The Minneapolis Mile of Music is about bringing people together through the power of music to create joy, connection and belonging in our City,” said Shelley Quiala, executive director of Cantus in Minneapolis. “We’re grateful to ACA, our restaurant and venue partners who are opening their doors to artists and audiences, and our incredible producing partners: the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Soul of the Southside, and Dance Agenda. Together, we’re celebrating the creativity, resilience and spirit that make Minneapolis such an extraordinary city.”
Indie Music Family Night Out
This Family Night Out initiative is produced in collaboration with the Minnesota National Independent Venue Association (MNIVA). Over the course of the fall, eight different independent music venues will host special family concerts and dance parties for families specifically designed to bring neighborhoods, schools and families together through music as way to heal from the effects on youth during Operation Metro Surge. Minneapolis independent venues will include The Green Room, The Hook & Ladder Theater & Lounge, Animales BBQ, Capri Theater, Cedar Cultural Center, The Dakota, Pillar Forum, Parkway Theater, and the Underground Music Café.
“Imagine the city’s best happy hour with live music (with the Mile of Music) and using live music and dance parties to bring youth and families together (with the Indie Music Family Nights)! These events help amplify our local musicians, artists and venues in commercial districts in a way that brings more people into the joy that art brings to our city,” said Ben Johnson, ACA director. “Similarly to Austin (TX), New Orleans and San Juan, we want to have music everywhere. Not only is it a major driver for our continued economic recovery, but it is literally part of the way that Minneapolis celebrates itself, though loving our live music and coming together.”
The “State of Live” Report
Live music and art is also what makes Minneapolis thrive from an economic standpoint as well. The National Independent Venue Alliance (NIVA) says that the independent live music and entertainment industry is “vital to Minneapolis’s economy and resilience” and cements the City as a “renowned hub of creativity.” In fact, in Minneapolis alone, live venues contribute $2.2 billion in economic output.
The “State of Live” report is the first economic research study of the independent live sector. NIVA based its report on the latest statistics from 2024 from all 50 states to determine the impact that venues have on different economies. The Minnesota report, funded by the City of Minneapolis, narrows its information down to Minneapolis alone and finds that:
- Minneapolis independent venues contributed $1.2 billion to the state’s economy
- Venues served nearly 3 million fans at different events
- More than 15,000 jobs were created and $744 million in wages
“This report demonstrates the value of live entertainment that extends well beyond the stage, fueling local businesses and attracting visitors that support economic activity across the city,” said Johnson. “And we will use this report to determine how we can more successfully support and grow our nationally renowned music scene in the years ahead.”
Despite these contributions, the report also notes that only 20 percent of Minneapolis’ independent stages reported operating profitability in 2024, highlighting the importance of sustaining the venues for the other 80 percent that anchor the city’s music scene through resources, solutions and support.
"For too long, the economic contributions of Minneapolis' live music ecosystem—and the independent businesses that make it possible—have been undervalued. Live music doesn't just support artists and venues; it drives foot traffic to neighborhood restaurants, retailers, breweries and service businesses, creating vibrant commercial corridors that strengthen our local economy,” said Jack Kolb-Williams, Executive Director of the Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance. “The State of Live provides the data needed to elevate these businesses in policy discussions as we advocate for meaningful public investment. This report is a critical step toward ensuring these independent businesses have a stronger voice in shaping Minneapolis' economic future.”