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Paper short abstract

This paper explores how Toronto’s indie music venues use food to navigate regulations, blending music and gastronomy into thriving community hubs. Through ethnographic research and case studies like the Horseshoe Tavern, it shows how food becomes a powerful tool for cultural and creative resistance.

Paper long abstract

In the face of regulatory constraints, communities often find subversive ways to preserve cultural vibrancy. This paper explores how independent music venues in Toronto have leveraged food offerings to navigate the Liquor License Act (Ontario Government, 2023), which requires bars serving alcohol to also offer food. Originally designed for health and safety, this regulation has become essential for survival in Toronto’s independent music scene. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork, including interviews with venue owners, cooks, and an analysis of local policies, this paper examines how food serves not only as a compliance tool but also as a cultural asset.

Inspired by my fieldwork in Dublin, where smoking areas became subversive spaces of community resistance to public health legislation, I see a parallel in Toronto’s music venues. In both cities, local responses to regulation foster opportunities for cultural solidarity. Here, food itself becomes a type of performance, with chefs engaging in creative acts of expression that mirror the music on stage. The sharing of food fosters connection, creating hybrid spaces where music and gastronomy intersect as forms of expression.

Venues like the Horseshoe Tavern and Grossman’s Tavern illustrate how food culture can act as a catalyst for solidarity, creative autonomy, and financial sustainability. Amid pressures from urban development, these venues use food to resist commercialisation and maintain relevance. This paper highlights how food culture in Toronto’s live music venues not only navigates regulatory restrictions but also serves as a vital tool of resistance, preserving the independent cultural spaces that embody community spirit.