Market Street Arts Launches UNSTAGED. Live on Mid-Market

Market Street Arts will launch UNSTAGED. Live on Mid-Market, a free, interactive, live performance experience on Market Street between 5th and 6th Street, featuring an F Train takeover, live bands & DJs, buskers and makers, immersive soundscapes, cooking classes, interactive art carts, and drag lip sync on Market Street between 5th and 6th. For the inaugural event, the first 200 registered attendees will receive a complimentary $20 voucher to enjoy food and beverages from local Mid-Market establishments on September 5. For more information and to register, visit unstaged.org. 

"This isn't just another activation; it's a targeted celebration of what makes Mid-Market special—its deep-rooted live performance,” said Steve Gibson, Executive Director of the Mid-Market Foundation. “We're tapping into the area's theatrical DNA to create something unique. By focusing on live performance, we're leaning into Mid-Market's unique strengths and history. We hope UNSTAGED. will encourage the creative spark that has always defined this district and use it to drive economic revitalization and community engagement." 

Taking place on the first Thursday of September, October and November from 4 to 7 p.m., in partnership with Downtown First Thursdays, UNSTAGED. marks a distinctive new chapter in Market Street Arts' ongoing commitment to revitalize San Francisco's Mid-Market neighborhood, propelling it forward as a world-class arts and entertainment district. UNSTAGED. joins a citywide effort to energize downtown through arts and culture. UNSTAGED. stands out with its laser focus on live performance—a nod to Mid-Market's storied history as the city's premier entertainment district. 

"Block by block, creatives are transforming Downtown San Francisco," adds Katy Birnbaum, CEO of Into The Streets and producer of Downtown First Thursdays, "We're thrilled to have Market Street Arts as a partner in this work and to welcome UNSTAGED. Live on Mid-Market as an Official DFT Partner this fall."

Each event will feature over 20 experiential or immersive performance and art interactions, utilizing over 10,000 square feet of space, including vacant storefronts. Highlights of the inaugural event include:

• BANDALOOP Vertical Performance
• Sidewalk cumbia and salsa classes, presented by Psyched! Radio
• Outdoor performances by Busk it! musicians in front of the brand new Red Tail Beer & Wine Bar, the Warfield, and Shiekh
• Jonathan Carver Moore Gallery will host the opening of Californian Wildflowers,a solo photo exhibition by Pieter Hugo
• Mystic Midway presenting Frisco Time Machine
• A Yum Yams Takeover, including a Ube Cooking Class by Kultivate Labs at Saluhall.
• Hip-hop class, DJ and breakdance battle by All The Way Live

Plus, there will be a transit takeover as the F Train is transformed into San Francisco's latest, hottest, and most mobile jazz venue, THE HOTSY TOTSY CLUB, presented by Building 180.

Market Street Arts' commitment to the area extends beyond UNSTAGED. In the past year, through investment from the Office of Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Market Street Arts has:

• Facilitated the opening of new creative businesses and activated seven vacant storefronts
• Provided paid opportunities for over 100 local artists through various programs and performances
• Invested more than $500,000 in initiatives aimed at revitalizing the Mid-Market district

"UNSTAGED. marks a significant milestone in our ongoing journey to reimagine Mid-Market," adds Abra Allan, Director of Creative Engagement, Market Street Arts. "We're building on a foundation of sustained investment and community engagement. This initiative amplifies the innovative spirit that has been rekindled in our neighborhood over the past year."

UNSTAGED. is supported by the Mid-Market Foundation, Urban Alchemy, the Office of Mayor London Breed, the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and Downtown ENRG. 

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