Coffee House to showcase emerging musicians this weekend

May 20, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

Libraries are often viewed as a place of study and quiet contemplation, but this Saturday the Aurora Public Library, partnered with The Arts Music Store, is aiming to blow that myth wide-open.

From 2 – 4.30 p.m., the Library’s Magna Room will host their first ever Coffee House, a hub of live music provided by students from The Arts, java, performances and good conversation.

“The Library (APL) today is trying to really step outside the box in terms of the way we have always been perceived as being this quiet spot for studies,” says Cindy Shaver of the APL. “We still are that in many instances, but we’re also this community hub here for innovation and collaboration and that’s what this Coffee House does.”

For the APL’s Reccia Mandelcorn, this Coffee House opportunity is all about fostering a “cultural experience.”

“We have books about music, but we also need to have live music,” she says. “We know youth are involved and we know that music is one of the most important parts of being young. That is how they express themselves. To be enmeshed in the energy of that expression, and to be able to offer that to our community, that is what we’re here for.”

This partnership with The Arts is a first for the Library, and a first very close to home as the music store’s Aurora branch is located just across the street. Their collaboration came out of the lead-up to the 2015 Aurora Winter Blues Festival where the library played host to a series of “pop-up” concerts featuring emerging musicians, many of whom came out of The Arts.

“Everyone just totally loved the pop-up concerts, and we wanted to keep that conversation going,” says Ms. Mandelcorn. “We thought we’d start with this coffee house and hopefully it will be successful.”

And, if it is successful, she adds, it will be a sign of things to come.

“We’re trying to embed ourselves in the community because we’re not a standalone place. We want to be part of the Farmers’ Market and the Cultural Centre, and businesses and we want to know how we can work with you, how we can take the goals of the Library and how we can take your goals as an Aurora institution and Aurora organization and mesh them together for the community.”

The Coffee House offers a “laid back afternoon” of musicians featuring an “eclectic mix of folk, rock, jazz and blues” and, in addition to the music and coffee, organizers also promise “other stuff.” But, to find out what that entails, you have to come out and see for yourself! This is a free drop-in event. No registration is required.