Arts in hard times

I hate to add to the mountain of media covering the economy right now, but I think is different enough that it doesn't count. 

There has been some coverage of how the arts are being impacted the economy, but, and maybe this is to be expected, it has been largely negative. What I haven't much about (yet) are the ways in which  some people are adapting to satisfy their cultural appetite. 

Maybe you're just more selective about what events you attend, but I have a feeling people are craftier than that. There are actually a surprising number of options for the culture vulture. On the West Bank alone, the Acadia Cafe often has music without a cover charge. The Triple Rock Social Club offers free bacon every Wednesday night, which at the very least would save you a trip if you were planning to get bacon elsewhere. The Katherine E. Nash Gallery on the University's West Bank campus always has free admission. And The Cedar also has a number of options to keep you cultured on a budget. All of the Open Stage events are free and for the price of a ticket to a 416 Club you usually get to see at least four up-and-coming local artists before they make it big. A ticket to see the Hawaiian Treasures Celebration is unquestionably cheaper than a trip to Hawaii. The list goes on.

I know I haven't covered everything on the West Bank let alone the rest of the Twin Cities. Or anywhere else for that matter. So tell me, dear reader, what's your inside scoop?