Dorothy Pax Announces Closure
Dorothy Pax from Sheffield has announced its closure and is calling on the public to support mass music venues.
Team’s Statement on the Closure
The Dorothy Pax team shared a heartfelt statement on their official Facebook page, revealing that they were “sorrowful to announce that Dorothy Pax is now closed with an immediate effect.” The decision was incredibly difficult, impacting the entire team, staff, and the broader Sheffield community.
“We had several amazing parties, hosted numerous festivals, brought countless world-class talents to our stage, laughed, cried, shared incredible evenings, made lifelong friends, and danced the night away,” they stated. “However, we can no longer continue. I don’t want to point fingers, but we’ve endured our fair share of battles, and while we usually emerged on the other side, we now have too many wounds to heal to go on.”
They also expressed their concern about becoming another statistic in the long list of mass music venues that have closed in recent years, largely due to the aftermath of Covid-19 and the rising cost of living crisis.
“The mass music industry faces a challenging battle. On average, we’re all trying to make this work with a profit margin of just 0.48 percent, while some have reported billions in profits,” they added. “If we had just £1 for a ticket sold at stadium shows, concerts in arenas, and large festivals, we wouldn’t have to subsidize ourselves with over £160,000,000 to keep doing what we love.”
They concluded by emphasizing the importance of supporting the local music scene and how much they value their connections with the community and cultural production. “The indescribable high of seeing a full room of people dancing, enjoying one another’s company, while musicians on stage wear smiles, is a feeling that is irreplaceable,” they shared.
Support for Employees and Future of Music Venues
In response, a GoFundMe has been initiated to collect funds for employees and freelancers of Dorothy Pax to “organize a gathering and provide some financial relief until they can secure their next job.” You can contribute to the fund here.
They signed off their statement with a plea: “Continue to support your mass music platforms, local pubs, and independent businesses because they need it now more than ever. Use them or lose them. Thank you for the unforgettable eight years. DPX is signed.”
