When Logan Greene started planning Groundworks in 2018, he had yet to learn that a global pandemic would stall his dream. 

Greene, 36, said COVID-19, coupled with all the usual details of planning a music venue, resulted in several years of an idea. 

That idea became reality in November 2021. 

“We founded Groundworks in 2019, but I started working on it at the end of 2018,” said Greene, now the director and one of the founders.  “On top of that, my whole twenties were spent really thinking about this type of thing, like it’s something I wanted to do for a while.” 

On a Saturday in September, Groundworks showcased local youth bands such as “Lunar Excursion Module” and “Distorted,” along with solo artists “KittyChrist” and “TENSPD.“

These are some of the many bands and artists that perform at Groundworks, 2919 E. Grant Rd. The venue is open every Friday and Saturday evening and some weekday evenings for live music events. This venue is for people of any age, with entrance to most shows costing $10. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited. 

“I think a lot of the music in the DIY space can be sort of scary or a little bit dangerous to very young kids,” said Lola Arvizu, 19, a University of Arizona student who volunteers at Groundworks. 

A lot of kids don’t have a safe space to go with their friends if they want to go to shows, Arvizu said, adding that many shows are held in clubs and bars that are not accessible to young people.

Greene said part of the idea is to keep young people busy with things that are enriching, like art and music. This keeps them safe from bad influences, as well as drug and alcohol use, he said.  

“I know that youth having this space to go does a few important things in the way we view it, one it staves off boredom, which is great,” Greene said.  

The venue also includes an art gallery, with shows once per month featuring local artists. There’s also a zine and comic book library. Zines are small, self-published publications that are handmade and photocopied. The library contains over 500 books that were donated by Tucson Zine Fest, for people to read and check out. 

Groundworks received its non-profit status in 2019, Greene said, and it became a busy time as they held fundraisers to secure a building. Funds for Groundworks were raised through Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform that helps creative projects get funded, as well as local concerts by community members connected with Groundworks. 

By January 2020, Groundworks had its lease in place, but the venue didn’t open until the end of 2021 due to COVID shutdowns. 

“It’s a lot about community here, it’s one of the things we like to try to be the most of, like being a big community center for the people,” Arvizu said.

Groundworks is very connected with its volunteers, she said, and there’s no real hierarchy. Instead, she said they are like a family and do what needs to get done while supporting each other’s projects and what they want to do with the venue.

Arvizu has been volunteering at Groundworks for three years, starting as a high school junior. On any given night, she helps out at the door but she is mostly a show manager. 

As performers played throughout the evening on the recent Saturday, the venue filled with the sound of youth jamming out to the music. 

“I want people to know that it’s all just like we’re having a good time. That is the bottom line of it,” Greene said. “We want people to come have a good time, we want people to leave with the experience of being, yeah, that was awesome.” 

To learn more about Groundwork’s schedule and what’s planned, visit their website.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.