1. The Purple Room
2. Union Sound Hall
3. Canadian Museum for Human Rights (Yes, we know it opens next September - you voted for it)

A few years ago I was looking for a space to do a music video for the band Federal Lights. On a day's notice, the Frame Gallery opened up and gave me free rein of the space, free of charge. It's that type of energy that allows artists to breathe and grow, and it was the perfect space for comedian/musician/web guru (showbizmonkeys.com) Paul Little's 50 seat Purple Room, which officially launched in March of this year.

"[The venue] started as a quest for shared studio space and ended with the launch of an intimate performance venue and rehearsal space in the back of Frame Arts Warehouse," Little told the Uniter back in September. "A visitor from New York said it had the feel of her favourite underground concert spots in Brooklyn, and that's what we're going for - a rough-around-the-edges place where art, creativity, and weirdness can flourish.

"Since opening, it's been home to touring singer/songwriters, improv comedy, zumba classes, the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, all-ages afternoon punk & hardcore, slam poetry, swing dancing, international fringe theatre, experimental rock, and even laser tag."

Arguably the biggest upcoming gig there would be a night called Nashville Comes to Town on December 19, featuring three Manitoba artists (Ashley Robertson, Heather Longstaffe and Jason Kirkness) who call Nashville home for at least part of the year.

Part of the series: The Uniter 30

Published in Volume 68, Number 14 of The Uniter (December 4, 2013)