Hello! We are two women (Mechele Peters and Cori Somers) who have known each other for over 25 years and are dedicated to a thriving arts community centered around female artists, BIPOC artists, and LGBTQ+ artists. We are artists ourselves and based on the last year of running our venue as a volunteer-run venue, we know there is a need for an intimate venue in Kalamazoo that intentionally supports independent artists and brings our community together. We need your help to get our venue up and running while we apply for non-profit status. We are excited to announce that on October 1, 2023, the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo will be our fiscal sponsor while we apply for our own non-profit status.

The Clover Room has been a huge success, but so far, every dollar made from ticket sales has gone to our artists and to our operational costs of running the venue. Please help us reach our goal of ensuring our dedicated co-directors can be paid for their work so they can continue to expand programming and events at the Clover Room.

Showcasing work in an intimate setting (that is not a loud bar), while also working toward equitable pay for every artist and staff member, top-notch hospitality, and inclusivity for all of our musicians and artists is an important part of the Clover Room’s vision in supporting local, regional, and national artists.

OUR MISSION:

The Clover Room is dedicated to creating an intentional, equitable, and enriching space for all artists, musicians, and members of the community.

WE:

-Create a warm, inviting, and interesting, listening room and gallery

-Curate cross-genre shows that are inclusive and diverse, often giving precedence to acts that have traditionally been overlooked for straight white male acts including but not limited to BIPOC, women, and lgbtq+

-Pair acts together to introduce new music cross-genre and cultural experiences to new audiences ( ie. a jazz act with a hip-hop act, a string quartet with a singer/songwriter, etc.)

-Create a safe space for youth under 21 to meet, perform, and collaborate in aid of creating future interesting cross-genre projects (youth open mic which is run by youth, concerts, workshops, and exhibits)

- Curate workshops that uphold these ideas and utilize local professionals in music, performance, audio engineering, etc. to lead these programs

-Support local musicians by both curating a local series and bringing in smaller regional and national acts to pair with local artists

-Support local visual artists by hosting their work in the space during art hops, Clover Room shows, and other opportunities and events that may arise in the community

-Create a “sister venue” relationship with listening rooms in other cities in Michigan to coordinate sustainable and equitable ways for musicians to network, perform on tour, and develop audiences both inside and outside of Kalamazoo (we would host musicians and vice versa)

-Provide accessibility to all of our events by offering a “Pay What You Can” ticket model, and a “Buy One Give One” model

-Collaborate with other organizations in our community to host benefit events