Bathhouse is evolving into a cooperative because we refuse the extractive model that dominates nightlife. We're tired of promoters getting rich while artists get underpaid, of venues prioritising profit over safety, of scenes built on the labour of queer people who never see the benefits.
As a co-op, everyone who does the work owns a piece of what we're building. Equal stake, equal voice, equal responsibility. This shapes how we make decisions, allocate resources, and ensure this space stays ours.
How It Works
We operate through four functional roles, not a hierarchy:
- Directors → Strategic oversight and sustainability
- Organisers → Lead operational teams (events, harm reduction, finance, etc.)
- Members → Contribute specialised skills to teams
- Volunteers → Learn, participate, explore membership
Everyone at every level can propose ideas. Power lives in our shared ownership.
Pathways to Ownership
Membership is earned through contribution. Start as a volunteer, show up consistently, learn our values, do the work.
Express your intention to become a member-owner. Get endorsed by someone who knows your contributions. The collective votes. If approved, you get a seat at the table with equal stake and equal voice.
Our Economic Model
We work toward a hybrid reinvestment model: aim for surplus at each event to build reserves and reinvest in the community, while keeping accessibility central.
- Ticket Pricing: Ticket pricing balances accessibility with sustainability. Community tickets are reserved for QTPOC, trans folks, and anyone who needs access, distributed through trusted community networks.
- Where Money Goes: Revenue covers venue, sound, production, artist fees, harm reduction infrastructure, awareness team, and supplies. Surplus goes to our emergency fund first, then harm reduction, community projects, and equipment investments.
- Collective Labour: Currently volunteer-based. We're discussing compensating awareness team members given the intensity of their work.
- Sponsorships: We accept partnerships that align with our values (think: queer-owned businesses, local brands, harm reduction orgs.) – no liquor brands!
- Transparency: Full budgets shared with collective members after each event. Public gets annual summaries.
Harm Reduction
Harm reduction at Bathhouse is community care in practice. We don't pretend our space exists outside the world's violence, but we build infrastructure to minimise harm and maximise support.
Our Awareness Team: A trained, sober crew who move through the space with one job: care. They're not security, not medical professionals, not therapists — they are event facilitators. If you need water, if you're overwhelmed, if something's wrong, they link you to what you need. They're trained in overdose response and first response to sexual violence.
Our Drug Policy: We operate from a harm reduction framework, not criminalisation. We know people use substances. Our goal is to keep you as safe as possible while you do. Our awareness team is trained to respond without judgment. We do not work with police for drug-related issues — if someone needs medical attention, we call paramedics, not cops.
Consent as Infrastructure: Consent is built directly into how the space functions. Ask before you touch someone. Ask before you photograph someone. Every single time. Our awareness team is trained to intervene when boundaries are crossed, and our community is empowered to speak up.
Boundaries
Bathhouse isn't for everyone. These boundaries protect what we've built.
- Zero Tolerance: Racism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, fatphobia, misogyny, violence—immediate removal and permanent ban.
- Consent violations: First warning, second removal, serious violations = permanent ban.
- What We Don't Tolerate: Extraction and tourism. Disrespecting our labor. Corporate compromise.
- When Harm Happens: Our awareness team supports survivors in whatever way needed. If you've caused harm, we name the behavior and apply consequences. Survivor needs come first.
These boundaries protect our ability to stay weird, sexy, political, and uncompromisingly ours. If you can't respect them, this party isn't for you.
Bathhouse is a cooperative. Membership is earned through contribution—start as a volunteer, show up, learn our values, do the work. When you're ready, the collective votes you in.
We're building the world we want to dance in.