Our Vision

Hermann’s Jazz Club opened in 1985, and is the longest continuously-operating jazz club in Canada — and internationally acclaimed . Sadly, founder Hermann Nieweler passed away on June 10, 2015.

Hermann’s is just one of the amazing venues located at 753 View Street that a group of dedicated professionals are working to transform into a Performing Arts Centre. Built for the performing arts , it is an ideal location. Other buildings may need to be considered.

The Jazz on View Society was founded to save Hermann’s Jazz Club and open up this purpose-built, downtown building for live performances and rehearsals, performer and student workshops, arts incubation and office space for smaller arts groups that can’t afford Victoria’s steep rents.

Four large and well-designed, acoustic spaces are suitable for:

● Music
● Theatre
● Performing Arts
● Dance
● Spoken word
● Visual arts
● You fill in the blank!

The attractive building, purpose-built for performance and arts entertainment, contains:

1. At 751 View Street, the popular Hermann’s Jazz Club , an all-ages venue that seats 150 patrons and hosts 400 live performances annually, with a restaurant and bar.

2. Next door, at 753 View, on the ground level, is a 2,000 square foot venue currently hosting the View Street Social Club, which adds much needed revenue to the operations.

3. At the rear of the second floor is a beautiful, 5,450 square foot, fully licensed, cabaret-style performance hall with the capacity to seat and serve 260 people. We plan to open it up for performances, rehearsals and workshops in 2019.

4. Facing View Street on the second floor, An intimate performance venue seating 80 in a licensed lounge is ready to rock and roll, or could be renovated for arts offices and shared amenity spaces.

5. There is a third floor mezzanine that overlooks the performance hall that could potentially serve as a sound and lighting Control Room and Green Room/VIP lounge and/or office space .

Our Board of Directors is a professional group of artists, administrators, managers, fundraisers, media marketers, philanthropists and concerned citizens — but we can’t purchase this remarkable building without your help .

Together governments and philanthropists , who understand the long-term value of property ownership for the non-profit arts community, can secure this building and property, plus an Arts Endowment, in perpetuity to ensure a thriving arts scene in downtown Victoria. It’s not only “shovel ready”, it’s ready for arts tenants immediately . Only building ownership holds us back.

Imagine preserving not only Hermann’s Jazz Club and live music at 753 View Street for all ages, but also supporting theatre and the performing arts, visual arts, and all the arts including restaurants, bars, rentals and more. Let our imaginations soar! Together we can make our dreams come true.

Help keep the performing arts alive in Victoria Our goal is to raise $8 million over the next five years, to purchase and renovate the property and establish Hermann’s Endowment for the Arts to support the arts in the Capital Region forever. We have a phased development plan, to stage this project over time, starting with leasing, then building purchase, renovations and creating an Arts Endowment.