The North Door announces permanent closure

The cabaret-style venue was an important stage for the arts community

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The North Door, the East Austin events venue that hosted everything from indie chamber ensembles, film screenings, podcast tapings and even political debates, has closed permanently.

North Door managers announced the news today. The 300-capacity room opened at 502 Brushy Street in 2009.

“During these very dark times that are decimating one business after another out there, it seems we are not immune to its painful sting,” a statement reads. “It’s been a long road for us over the last decade, and we’ve held on as long as possible, but it is with a very heavy heart that we must sadly announce that the North Door is permanently closing its doors.”

With its rounded stage, projection wall and flexible seating plan, the North Door was an important venue for the arts community. Those who regularly used the cabaret-style club include the Fusebox Festival, Graham Reynolds’ Golden Hornet Project and LOLA ((Local Opera Local Artists).


Jeanne Claire van Ryzin
Jeanne Claire van Ryzin
Jeanne Claire van Ryzin is an arts and culture journalist who has covered visual art, performance, film, literature, architecture, and just about any combination thereof. She was the staff arts critic for the Austin American-Statesman for 17 years. Her commendations include the First Place Arts & Culture Criticism Award from the Society for Features Journalism. Additionally, Jeanne Claire has been awarded professional fellowships at USC’s Western Knight Center for Specialized Journalism and NEA/Columbia University Arts Journalism Institute. In 2022, she was awarded the Rabkin Prize in visual art journalism. For two years, she taught arts journalism at the University of Texas College of Fine Arts. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Architecture magazine, Dwell, the Review of Contemporary Fiction, Art Papers, and ICON design magazine, among other publications.

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