Calling all musicians! Submissions are back open for Bay Beats, the San Francisco Public Library’s free music streaming platform.
Dedicated exclusively to spotlighting Bay Area talent, Bay Beats first launched in October 2023, six months after a call for work by bands, musicians and composers from the region’s nine counties. In that time, 600 submissions were whittled down to 144, with selected artists each receiving a $250 honorarium for their contributions.
Last year’s artists were chosen by an all-star panel of local jurors including Dregs One, La Doña and Avengers frontwoman Penelope Houston. Houston — who was a longtime employee at San Francisco’s main library before retiring in 2020 — is returning again this year to decide which artists will make the cut. She tells KQED Arts she’s really looking forward to listening to the submissions.
“It’s a great way to discover other sounds, for the jurors and, ultimately, for the many SFPL library card holders who explore the chosen music,” Houston says. (The Bay Beats catalog is currently free to stream for anyone with an internet connection, and downloadable for library card holders.)
“Really it’s a win-win situation for everyone,” Houston continues. “Hopefully lots of entries will come in and Bay Beats will grow every year.”