After the announcement that Hermann’s Jazz Club and View Street Social would permanently close, a public outcry to save the two clubs has sparked a renewed effort to keep them alive.
However, some members of the staff at these venues have come forward saying that they, and their coworkers were not informed of the closures, or this new effort to save the venues.
Last week, Arts On View Street Society, the organization that oversees the two spaces preservation, announced that “financial challenges we inherited from previous leadership” was the reason for the clubs closing.
Since that time, the people of Victoria and their support for keeping the venues afloat have inspired Arts On View Street to launch a campaign to raise $450,000—the amount needed to stabilize both spaces.
“For 45 years, Hermann’s has been a home for music, culture, and connection in this city,” said Al Smith, board chair and acting executive director.
“The number of emails and messages we’ve received has been incredible.”
Smith says the funds will be used to pay off the inherited financial obligations, address long-standing deferred maintenance in the facility and repair aging/neglected equipment.
The campaign Smith has launched is structured as a “pledge model.” This means that no funds would be collected by the organization until the entire goal was met by pledges. Only then will Arts On View Street ask those who pledged funds to fulfill their promises.
“This is not about building something new,” Smith added.
“This is about preserving something that already means so much to this community. Without immediate action, it’s [sic] current form will be lost.”
Pledges can be made online, here. As of this publication, the campaign has raised over $300,000 of their $450,000 goal.
Staff left in the dark about closures
While many have been making donations to try to preserve the legacy of Hermann’s and the View Street Social, the staff of the two clubs have been left in the dark.
Smith claims to have held a mandatory staff meeting before last week’s closure announcement, but an anonymous employee told Victoria Buzz that several members of the staff had to find out from reading the news.
“That’s a lie,” said the employee. “As far as I know, there was no staff meeting called.”
They said that a staff meeting wasn’t held until the day after the announcement, and the purpose of that meeting was to give employees their notice of termination.
Furthermore, the staff member says they were not informed of this fundraiser which aims to keep their places of work open.
Now, staff are left wondering if they will have a job if the pledge goal is met, or if Arts On View Street Society is going to terminate them anyway and hire anew.
As of this publication, it appears that the clubs will be saved by the community considering the organization has raised the majority of their goal already. The staff member just wishes they and their colleagues could be kept in the loop more than they have been.
