The performing arts — dance, music, theatre and much more — have served for generations as a way to open doors and break down barriers we are not always aware exist. They bring people together so we better understand one another, adding our unique voice here in Portland and throughout Maine to the mix.

As board chair of Portland Ovations from 2019-2022, I witnessed firsthand the extraordinary power of the arts during the pandemic. When everything shut down, arts organizations did not stop. Instead, they rallied, producing everything from online offerings and outdoor performances on flatbed trucks to investing, despite their limited and uncertain funding, in Maine artists no longer able to travel to create new work.

Our arts professionals demonstrated their strength. They proved their commitment to the bigger picture, working together so that all could thrive. They showed our humanity, raising our spirits when we were afraid. We became stronger because of them.

The current proposal for a 3,300-seat venue operated by Live Nation would negatively affect a hard-fought-for ecosystem that barely sustains our local venues and organizations, which include the State Theatre, SPACE, Portland Symphony Orchestra, House of Music and Portland Ovations, to name just a few.

What at first glance appears as positive in our city opens the door to a multinational corporation that will ultimately take away much-needed revenue for our venues. The result? Closures and lack of opportunity for Maine-based artists as places to perform dwindle and the massive Live Nation machine determines who has access to perform, decreasing our options of exploring new and unknown voices needing to be heard.

Our award-winning specialty food and beverage businesses will not benefit either, as the new venue will include a restaurant, enticing those who are at the venue to see a show. Based on what cities report about other Live Nation venues, ticket buyers will be encouraged to arrive early and eat at the venue. Arriving early will indeed be necessary due to intense competition for parking spots and increased traffic at an already busy section of town.

The local arts community has always been there for us. They invest millions into our local economy. Money that stays here, creating meaningful jobs for many, which enriches us all in numerous ways.

It is our turn to step up and support them. I encourage everyone to find out more about the Live Nation proposal and its business practices (which have led to an investigation by the Department of Justice and a consumer class action suit against its subsidiary Ticketmaster). What might appear to be a boon will result in limiting the variety and choices we have and a final curtain call for many we can’t afford to lose.