For the last two years, my boyfriend and I have been working diligently to renovate an old restaurant in Durhamville, NY, right next to the Erie Canal. We are transforming it into a venue, teaching studio and art gallery featuring rentable space, community classes and workshops. We envision our new business as a welcoming gathering place for our community.
I am a single-member LLC. I’ve been working as a self-employed musician for 10 years, performing in the central NY area for almost 20 years. My business is a private lesson music studio and free-lance performances for parties, weddings and venues. I was teaching 6, sometimes 7 days a week if I could swing it plus playing 4-5 shows a week including running an open mic. I was performing in 10 bands, and a string quartet/trio as a freelance musician for hire. Another project I’ve been involved with for the last few years was starting a community orchestra, the Mohawk Valley Strings.
Before COVID-19, teaching took care of my personal expenses and all the money for the building renovation came from live music.
Some of us were fortunate enough to collect unemployment but with no return to live music and the impossible situation with capacity, venues cannot afford to hire musicians right now. It’s an unfortunate series of events for both self-employed artists and venue owners.
COVID continues to ripple the water for me as I try to at least finish my building. Bands I performed with have broken up, re-tooled their configurations or gone on hiatus.
We aren’t Nashville here in CNY, but we do have an ecosystem that supports the arts and music. Independent venues that have been more than compliant are being unfairly treated. Local businesses are being crushed. Our industry is flatlining. We need your help.
Liz Fiddle, Oneida, NY