SF Live is a new six-month series of free music concerts put on as a joint citywide initiative by esteemed San Francisco arts & music producers Illuminate, San Francisco Parks Alliance, Noise Pop, and Union Square Alliance. Created as a love letter to San Francisco music, SF Live concerts are a coming together of San Francisco’s storied musical history and the city’s promising and developing local talent.

SF Live was created in response to the Covid19 pandemic, in an effort to revitalize the city. SF Live is more than just a concert series - it's a celebration of the city's rich cultural tapestry, a gathering of its people, and a testament to the power of music in bringing people together. Each concert is thoughtfully curated by organizers from historic San Francisco music venues, presenting a unique combination of artists that not only showcases the broad spectrum of San Francisco artistry, but also provides a diverse and dynamic concert experience for attendees. Whether it's a rising indie band, a well-established jazz ensemble, or a high-energy pop act, there is always a new sound to discover at SF Live.

Starting Apr17, 2024 – October12, 2024, shows will be held on select Thursdays and Saturdays. Check the calendar page for details.

Yes, all shows are free to the public!

Yes, we encourage music lovers of all ages to attend!

Illuminate, San Francisco Parks Alliance, Noise Pop, Union Square Alliance, and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development are part of this joint partnership. With branding and marketing by Plinth Agency.

In 2023, San Francisco live music and entertainment venues were invited to submit an online application to participate in SF Live. To qualify, music venues were required to hold a Place of Entertainment permit from the Entertainment Commission and demonstrate a track record of offering frequent, year-round live entertainment programming. Priority to participate was given to venues that had received funding through the City’s Music and Entertainment Venue Recovery Fund, showcase styles of live music not otherwise represented in this program, demonstrate a track record of hiring musicians of color who reflect the diverse cultural interests of San Francisco’s communities, and add to the geographic diversity of music venues across San Francisco participating in this program.

Applications were reviewed by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and SF Live production partners; qualifying venues were then matched with production teams based on the outdoor locations they expressed interest in presenting concerts in, prior collaboration between the venues and production teams, available performance dates, and other factors.

Funding from the initiative went toward covering the costs to produce the outdoor events and a stipend of up to $3,000 was awarded to selected and participating venues.

At present, the application window for venues to participate in SF Live is closed. However, if additional outdoor performance opportunities become available, OEWD will reopen the application portal for additional music and entertainment venues to apply.

Each music venue is curating artists for the concert series in conjunction with their nonprofit production partner.

Supported by Mayor London N. Breed, SF Live is part of a comprehensive effort to revitalize the local nightlife and entertainment sector. Thanks to a $2.5 million investment from the California State Legislature, spearheaded by former Assemblymember and current City Attorney David Chiu.

The goals of the initiative are to showcase and support the San Francisco music and entertainment sector, boost neighborhood vitality, activate open spaces and enhance the City’s economic revitalization through arts and culture.

SF Live will provide new and unique opportunities for San Francisco’s live music venues to reach new audiences and showcase live performances by their favorite artists. The city’s music and entertainment venues add vibrancy to our local economy, attracting residents, workers, and visitors.

Prior to the pandemic, an economic impact study by the City Controller found that San Francisco’s nightlife and entertainment industry including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, live

music venues and performing art spaces generated $6 billion in local spending while employing over 60,000 people.

On February 28th, 2023, the San Francisco health officer terminated the local state of emergency and rescinded several health orders and directives. There are no current local health orders that apply to the general public, although there are recommendations for masking in healthcare settings.

Individuals are encouraged to consider masking based on location, crowd, and personal risk factors, especially when an individual or the people they live with are vulnerable to the worst outcomes of COVID-19.

It is still strongly recommended that people stay home whenever they feel sick in order to protect others around them and follow the State’s isolation and quarantine guidance (see the guidance for isolation and what to do after close contact published by the California Department of Public Health).