The lack of diversity in Madison’s entertainment venues prompted the Equal Opportunities Commission to hold a meeting Monday and seek effective means of cultural integration.
Food and Alcohol Policy Coordinator Mark Woulf attended the meeting with EOC members to share a presentation about racial disparities in the city’s entertainment. Woulf said city officials are awaiting approval for a task force “devoted specifically to the issue of diversity in entertainment venues.”
EOC members focused on the need for hip hop venues in the city to incite diversity. In recent years, many venue owners have rejected hip hop artists due to the stigma associated with the music genre, according to Woulf.
The lack of availability in hip-hop venues directly contributes to the issues that arise from the musical performances, Woulf added. The few venue owners that do hold the shows often see the same crowd without any turnover, which leads to repeated issues caused by the same individuals.
“There’s one person that wrecks the event for everybody else and all of a sudden you have a stigma associated with the event,” Woulf said. “The genre of the music is not the underlying problem.”
EOC member Percy Brown discussed his experience as a promoter in Madison booking African American performers. Brown said the best way for owners to provide safety at their venues is to establish partnerships with police departments.
“Instead of being reactive you can be proactive,” Brown said. “Whether you’re a college student or somebody selling drugs at the club and there’s a police presence there, it’s gonna make you think twice.”
EOC member Corinda Rainey-Moore addressed a more serious issue of the hip-hop venues that were shut down altogether as a result of fights, despite the frequent violence at downtown bars.
“We know that there are lots of bar fights that happen downtown,” Rainey-Moore said. “It’s interesting that the hip-hop venues tend to be shut down and yet we know that those fights continue yearly and nothing happens with that.”
EOC members agreed race needs to be directly addressed when resolving conflicts such as entertainment diversity.
“It’s just a tiny piece of our community’s larger issues,” Brown said. “ You can’t be afraid to have those conversation because things won’t change unless you go there.”
