The full
lifecycle.
From posting a slot to confirming a show — the whole booking process, in plain English.
Choose your view:
Post an open slot
Choose the date, time, and what kind of act you're looking for.
Browse the performer directory
Filter by availability and act type. See who's in your area.
Review performer profiles
Check Show Reliability, Approval Rating, Audience Draw, and work samples.
Performers submit interest
Available performers express interest in your open slot.
Review and select
Compare interested performers and pick the best fit.
Send a formal booking offer
Set the date, time, and agreed compensation. Clear terms for everyone.
Performer accepts — show confirmed
The booking is locked in. Both calendars update automatically.
Rate the performer after the show
Your rating helps other venues make better booking decisions.
Show Reliability
The percentage of booked shows completed. Both sides have one. Agreed cancellations don't count. New users show 'New' until 3+ shows.
Approval Rating
After every show, venues rate their experience working with the performer. Approval Rating is the share of those ratings that are positive — a simple thumbs-up signal, shown once a performer has 3+ completed shows.
Audience Draw
After every show, venues also report turnout. Builds a public Audience Draw profile broken down by venue size — so you see how performers fill rooms like yours.
Google Calendar Sync
Confirmed shows appear automatically in the performer's connected Google Calendar. One-way sync — deleting the event doesn't cancel the booking.
Offer Expiration
Booking offers have an expiration window set by the venue — min 24 hours, max 14 days, default 72. Pass the Hat / Tips Only offers use a fixed 48-hour window. Keeps the pipeline moving.
The rules are the rules.
Payment
Venues set the compensation model when posting a slot — Flat Fee, Door Split / Percentage, Guarantee vs. Percentage, Pass the Hat / Tips Only, or Other / Custom — and it locks once the slot is live. Performers submit a pricing ask, the venue issues a formal offer with the model fixed, and the performer accepts — there's no in-app negotiation after an offer goes out. The platform records the agreement, but payment is handled directly between the two parties. Small Venue Music does not process or hold payments.
Cancellations
Either party can cancel a confirmed booking. Cancellations within 7 days count as “late” and are reflected in the cancelling party's public Show Reliability score. Agreed cancellations (e.g., severe weather) don't affect either side's score. Cancellations more than 7 days out don't affect anyone's reliability. After a cancellation is complete, the slot re-opens and both parties are put right back in — the venue can send a new offer, performers can submit interest again.
Ready to get started?
Join the waitlist and be among the first on the platform when we launch in Richmond.
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