LYNN ― Sometimes, the sustained existence of an arts scene can come down to a single event, a single establishment, or a single person.
Take someone like Soneta Srey ― a Class of 2017 graduate of Classical High ― who was inspired by the success of her first open-mic night at Walnut Street Coffee Cafe to continue the event as a series in different venues around town.
“I’m an artist myself, so I’ve been to a lot of events and I just learned a lot of things about what works and what doesn’t work,” Srey said.
The young woman started out the same way as a number of musical greats: by singing in her church choir. While Srey’s work is ongoing and can be found on all streaming platforms, her self-designated role as an open-mic organizer made quite an impression on Alicia Thompson-Churchill, co-owner of the Walnut Street Cafe.
“(Soneta) just sent me a Facebook message and asked if she could do something at the cafe (and) I could tell the minute I started talking to her that she knew what she was doing,” Thompson-Churchill said. “She was acting like she was new to this and I don’t think she’s organized a lot of events, but whatever it is, the skills are there.”
The open-mic night, entitled “Radiant Decor,” is billed as an evening of “spoken word and soul,” which Thompson-Churchill observed shared sonic qualities with gospel and hip-hop. Thompson-Churchill also noted Radiant Decor’s immediate success.
“She probably invited hundreds of people, so she wound up with a full house first try, which is exemplary,” she said. “People were very happy ― she brought the scene with her.”
Success in a “do-it-yourself” arts scene, which includes open-mics, means a group of people is happy to have a venue to call home and that venue, in turn, is happy to be that home.
“It was really dope,” Srey said of Walnut Street Cafe. “It turned out to be a really good event and so I’m just continuing my work here.”
Srey also noted the cafe’s reputation as an open-mic haven. The business was purpose built for open mic nights, according to co-owner Jim Chalmers, husband of Thompson-Churchill. He has been hosting a music open mic on Sundays for 25 years, and a Wednesday night poetry open mic entitled “Speak Up” for 13.
“Open mics don’t make money,” he admitted. “A lot of the places that have them go ‘this is great’ and it goes on for a couple of months and, a few months later, it’s ‘guys, you gotta go.’ I see that all the time. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme.”
“It’s fun,” Thompson-Churchill chimed in, later adding that she liked hosting the nights because “they make the business interesting.”
Further downtown, Land of a Thousand Hills Social Enterprise Manager Fredy Hincapie is geared toward open mics because of his ideological belief in the true purpose of the coffeehouse.
“The cafe serves as a place for community gatherings, whether you want to use the space for events, have a pop up if you’re a local entrepreneur, or whatever it may be,” he said. “You can come in and use our space to meet other people and learn more about the community and that’s been the biggest driver for us.”
Land of a Thousand Hills, a 5-year-old coffee spot on Munroe Street, is looking to get back into their old roster of open-mic nights. Their first since the onset of the pandemic will be none other than Radiant Decor on Saturday, April 9. It will be the establishment’s first show since 2020.
The point of the open mic is to strengthen the network of musicians in the area, says Srey, who used to work at Land of a Thousand Hills.
“There’s a variety of groups within the city because a lot of us do music and now that we all know who’s the game, so to say, it’s kind of like we’re all coming together because music is the universal language,” she said.
Thompson-Churchill added that that’s exactly what Srey did when Radiant Decor came to Walnut Street Cafe, bringing a full house in tow.
“That is really the ideal situation: somebody who comes and brings their scene with them and it interacts and sort of cross-pollinates with ours,” she explained. “People show up for each other.”
However, a thriving arts scene is nothing without a place to put the artists who comprise it. That’s why Hincapie hopes that other businesses will follow his and Walnut Street Cafe’s lead.
“I know right now it can be tough with labor shortages ― I’m definitely tight as well ― but I think if I sacrifice my time, the return would be great not just for us, but for the community and for many others,” he said.
While COVID was a difficult hump to get over for both performance venues and restaurants, Srey and the owners of both coffeeshops were unsatisfied with the arts infrastructure available to musicians and poets in Lynn.
“Everybody has to do it themselves here and everybody helps each other out, but it’s not really supported or sustained,” said Thompson-Churchill, who used to be a member of the city’s Arts Council.
Hincapie added that Lynn is not wanting for talent in the slightest but, in his observation, he’s noticed time and again resources were being diverted to Salem and Beverly.
“I just like to organize events, because I see a lot of talent, but not enough resources to showcase it,” Srey lamented.
Open mics may be small-scale by definition, but their easy accessibility makes them a good place to see a cross-section of the city. While established houses of culture have barriers for entry or curatorial requirements, open mics like those held at Walnut Street Cafe have a PA system, a stage, and the community.
“We open our doors to all (and) we’ve had everything down here,” Chalmers said. “We’ve had gospel, hip-hop, rap, folk, country-and-western, Irish, everything, but that’s what it is ― you open the door to everyone.”
Another thing about open mics: When your event exists outside the provided arts infrastructure, it’s up to the invested parties to create their own sustainability.
“There’s always going to be a show after the show,” Srey said.
To stay up-to-date with Radiant Decor, follow @ssrey_1 on Instagram.
