The board of directors of Twin Cities Catalyst Music, the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which operates The Garage, the all-ages, substance free venue in Burnsville, announced today that The Garage will not be booking or presenting shows for 2025. Catalyst will focus on its core mission of youth music education programming, as well as recording and venue rental opportunities.

This was not an easy decision to come to, because safe, all-ages venues and stages to play are critical to nurturing the next generation of performers. This decision comes with the financial reality of rising costs of booking shows, changing audience patterns, and shifting donor support which made the current presenting model for Catalyst unsustainable into 2025.

Catalyst’s core youth programming has direct grant support to ensure its continued offering. Focusing on our core mission of youth music education will strengthen Catalyst’s programming and partnership opportunities, and make the most effective use of the studio and venue space at The Garage while we reassess booking, and find the right way to continue delivering on our mission. We want to thank all the organizational and venue staff who have worked so hard to deliver on Catalyst’s mission, create great concert experiences, and support all ages shows for almost 10 years.

You can continue to support Catalyst’s youth music and music industry education through donations, the Backline Program, and merch. Questions about booking, partnership inquiries, and rentals can be directed to hello@catalystmusic.org.