San Jose music venue closure is a loss for indie artists

San Jose will be losing a longstanding music venue with a reputation for giving budding local artists audience exposure.

The Art Boutiki will close at the end of December after 16 years of providing an eclectic space for artists of all genres and creating a community for music lovers in San Jose. The music venue also doubles as a shop that features graphic novels, a large selection of Tiki items and more. With the loss of Art Boutiki, music venue offerings will be whittled down to a few places, including The Caravan Lounge, The Ritz, SJZ Break Room and the soon to open Pete Be Center.

Attendance at the Art Boutiki has been down 25% from last year, and it hasn’t been profitable since the pandemic, owner Dan Vado said.

“We’re dying a slow death here, and there was no pathway to break even