It has been close to a year since the Starlite Room last held a traditional concert and those behind the popular music venue say the situation can't go on much longer.
"It's dire. There's no money, no shows, no music," owner-operator Andrea Kotylak told CTV News Edmonton. "We're out of options."
The downtown business has mainly survived on federal funding but Kotylak says the rent subsidy will expire in June.
The venue also received a $20,000-provincial grant but it disappeared fast.
"Our property tax is like $5,000 a month, our rent is over $35,000, so $20,000 is just gone," she said.
Many high-profile Canadian musicians – including the Tragically Hip – are promoting the Support Canadian Venues campaign calling for greater government support.
"I don't know what musicians would do without live music venues," said lead guitarist Rob Baker in a video message.
The campaign website states over 90 per cent of independent music venues will close unless someone steps up leaving "tens of thousands of Canadians" unemployed and artists without a place to grow.
"We'll never get the next Alanis Morrissette, Barenaked Ladies, Nickelback, Cord Lunds," said local arts director Brent Oliver. "Dozens and dozens of bands."
The campaign is encouraging Canadians to write to government officials to tell them "how important live music is in the life of your city, your town, your community."
With files from CTV Edmonton's Carlyle Fiset
