LGBTQ Art Bar & Affordable Housing Lancaster City
The Starlight Saloon protects, preserves, and remodels a threatened historic 40+-year-old LGBTQ+ establishment from closing by transforming it into a progressive 2,864 SQ FT LGBTQ+ art bar, sexy social lounge, an intimate performing arts venue in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, offering 12 equal employment opportunities, while creating affordable and affirming housing for low-income LGBTQ+ individuals above its establishment! We are asking for your help in raising $190,000 dollars to bring this vision to life!
What does this money impact? Where does it go?
Welcome to Lancaster's LGBTQ+ Art Bar & Affordable Housing Campaign.
#makelancasterqueer #savequeervenues
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The Starlight Saloon
THE CHALLENGE
The Starlight Saloon project development faces a few challenges that could really impact the Lancaster, PA community.
Challenges that include:
∙ A 40-year-old LGBTQ+ nightlife establishment will be threatened to close
in Lancaster City, where there is currently a lack of dedicated LGBTQ+ nightlife spaces.
∙ Unequal representations of inclusion along with power dynamics in social infrastructures and employment even as an LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protected city.
∙ The restructuring of nightlife during an economic crisis.
∙ Shortage of access to safe, secure, and affordable housing to low-income LGBTQ+ individuals in emergency situations.
THE IMPACT
CREATING VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS
& EQUAL REPRESENTATION IN EMPLOYMENT
This project preserves a 40+-year-old LGBTQ+ establishment that is threatening to close in Lancaster City and reconstructs Lancaster nightlife by ending an eroding social infrastructure of unequal representation, power dynamics, and access to spaces in the industry. By taking an intersectional approach and creating important shifts in the social consciousness, expanding the circle of inclusivity by offering 12 equal employment opportunities regardless of identity, experiences, age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, & disability. An establishment that is affirming, not only in guests, but representation in ownership, managerial, staff, and on stage.
EMERGENCY LGBTQ+ AFFORDABLE HOUSING
In addition, this project development presents affordable, affirming, and transitional housing to LGBTQ+ individuals without homes above the establishment known as the HEART program. These newly renovated and modern one-bedroom apartments will be made possible in partnership with The Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition. Together, they will create a safe and secure place for LGBTQ+ individuals to gain support in overcoming the obstacles presented by housing insecurities and be a part of a welcoming environment. 40% of the homeless youth served by agencies identify as LGBTQ+ according to Williams Institute .
RESTRUCTURING THE ARTS & NIGHTLIFE DURING AN ECONOMIC CRISIS
After the U.S. economy collapsed during the COVID-19 Pandemic it allowed the world an opportunity to revisit the arts & nightlife with more intention. The Starlight Saloon will be a crucial nightlife experience in Lancaster, Pennsylvania as the COVID-19 Pandemic subsides. As the world begins to slowly reopen, the desire for human connection and interaction will be greater than ever! A rebirth of the arts is upon us, and we want to contribute to this innovative revival. The Starlight Saloon is preserving LGBTQ+ culture & revitalizing nightlife in Lancaster City as we know it. In addition to offering equal employment opportunities to the community coming out of an economic recession, this establishment is dedicated to empowering, showcasing, and hiring performance artists of marginalized communities. The Starlight Saloon will be a place where your presence and participation are not only seen but heard, vital, and valued.
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“The arts are increasingly recognized for their value, not only to the welfare and well-being of our citizens but also as a contributor to the economic health of the commonwealth. A thriving local arts community has been linked to increased health, prosperity, and to innovative business economies in both rural and urban areas.”
- Governor Wolf of Pennsylvania -
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∙ How Do We Get There? ∙
This fundraising goal of $190,000 is the downpayment to our SBA 504 & SBA 7A loan for this project. All start-up costs have been calculated with our financial team and financial institutions.
Your contributions allow us to acquire these loans which accomplishes:
○ Demolition of the existing interior
○ Architectural/Engineering fees
○ Construction and Remodeling costs of the following rooms: bar, social lounge, venue with a 562 SQ FT expansion
○ Remodel of upper-level apartments
○ Purchases of bar equipment, kitchen appliances and equipment, service ware, sound, and lighting equipment
○ Decor costs include furnishings, lighting, new finishings, decorative elements, etc.
○ Six months of working capital
○ Provide a gathering place for our community
○ Be a platform for marginalized LGBTQ+, & QTPOC communities
○ Be a resource to innovative and independent voices
○ Support the local creative economy
○ 2.9% goes to the GoFundMe payment processing service charge
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Do you support the arts? LGBTQ+ businesses? LGBTQ+ Equality?
Affordable housing? Diverse entertainment and nightlife?
If you answered yes to any of these, then you can understand how important this endeavor is and how valuable it will be not just to the Lancaster Community, but as a model and example for other establishments of how inclusivity and creativity thrive together.
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∙ In Closing ∙
Our goal is to evolve and exceed the expectations of what a nightlife experience can be here in Lancaster City, offering a wide range of arts & culture with the intention of inspiring positivity to fans & friends that share these values, provides affordable and affirming housing for LGBTQ+ individuals that need support in overcoming the obstacles presented by housing insecurities.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to consider
supporting this campaign and the future inclusivity and equality in our city.
Your gift of any size will truly make a difference. We understand that everyone’s abilities and needs vary during these trying times, so we hope that this crowdfunding format invites people to support us in any way they can. Please consider sharing this campaign with your network of friends, independent presenters, and fellow creatives.
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"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance
of things, but their inward significance."
- Aristotle -
∙ Meet the Owner ∙
The establishment was revitalized by visionary - Ryan Gabriel Davis of the entertainment company, Animal House Productions. With the intention of exposing a conservative community to a rich cultural experience and introducing them to a diverse social lounge and nightlife environment while making use of functional space to create and provide affordable housing for LGBTQ+ individuals in crisis situations.
This vision came to Ryan at the age of 13 while standing in the crowd at a local concert due to the lack of inclusivity he saw in artist line-ups. He spent the next decade committing himself to the arts & nightlife of Lancaster, transcending the local scene, and forming a creditable production company known as Animal House Productions. Most known for his work of creating platforms with artists that consist of womxn, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community on line-ups. Ryan spent the past five years learning the fundamentals of business, writing and rewriting his business plan, touring real estate, and expanding his network.
Ryan is 26 years old, lives and is a native of Holtwood, Pennsylvania. A redneck one traffic light "town" based in the country of Lancaster County. His community work lies in Lancaster City focused on LGBTQ+ matters, the Black Lives Matter Movement, and environmental consciousness. Ryan invites you to support him in this venture as he announces and launches his life’s work as The Starlight Saloon to the community of Lancaster.
Ryan Gabriel Davis
Owner, Manager of The Starlight Saloon
Founder of Animal House Productions
Contact us if you would like to fundraise for this campaign,
Contact: [email redacted]
Visit us @ www.thestarlightsaloon.com
Follow The Starlight Saloon on Instagram and Facebook!
Hashtag this campaign at #MakeLancasterQueer & #SaveQueerVenues
