AUSTIN, Texas — The future of a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub and music venue in Downtown Austin is looking a little brighter after a rocky start to the year.
Back in February, the owners of Cheer Up Charlies posted on social media that their future was uncertain and they needed support. Despite its reputation as a safe space for everyone, co-owner Maggie Lea said a dip in foot traffic, inflation, tax payments and hotter temperatures had Cheer Up’s struggling.
Now, a grant from a national LGBTQ+ business preservation initiative will help the bar keep its doors open to all.
Cheer Up Charlies announced on Wednesday that it has been selected as one of 30 recipients of this year’s “Queer to Stay” program. The initiative – led by the Human Rights Campaign, Showtime and Paramount+ – distributes funding to LGBTQ+ small businesses to help them keep afloat and thrive.
“It’s humbling to be chosen for this award and we feel honored to be part of such a meaningful initiative,” Cheer Up Charlies said. “Small businesses like ours rely on the continued support of our community and grants like these at large, to keep growing, serving, and strengthening our role as a vital community hub for our friends, chosen families, and our most marginalized of LGBTQ+ folks.”
Cheer Up Charlies said being selected as a recipient of the grant has allowed it to “become more connected with peers and changemakers all across the nation” who are working to preserve LGBTQ+ culture in “spaces that champion the DIY spirit of queer creatives.”
“This couldn’t have come at a better time– lifting our spirits and ensuring the longevity we’ve always envisioned as our 15-year endeavor moves into legacy business status,” the club said.
Queer to Stay says since it launched a few years ago, it has helped distribute funding to more than 100 businesses, and 90% of previously awarded businesses remain open today.
One other Texas business, The Lemon Girls in San Antonio, was also selected as one of this year’s 30 Queer to Stay recipients.