Rally in support of the Cactus Cafe

Cactus Cafe rally supporters on the west step of the UT tower. (Ryan Verlatti/KXAN)

Several proposals up for consideration

Updated: Friday, 26 Feb 2010, 9:40 PM CST
Published : Friday, 26 Feb 2010, 4:56 PM CST

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Musicians and speakers took to the west steps of the UT Tower Friday in support of the Cactus Café .

Student Friends of the Cactus Café hosted the rally to garner interest in its proposal supporting the campus's iconic music venue.

"We're hoping that [our proposal] takes into consideration the need for more student involvement and the need for supplementing the funding with community support," said Hayley Gillespie, co-founder of the student organization.

The group's proposal will go before the Texas Union Board at Friday’s meeting along with two other proposals in support of the establishment. The University Unions Student Events Center Executive Cabinet will also present a proposal for the café.

The student-run Texas Union Board decided to rededicate the Cactus Café’s staff to other work positions and repurpose the venue after UT was asked to cut costs by an additional five percent.

Since the January decision, grassroots efforts, like Save the Cactus Café , have sprung up in support of keeping the decades old music venue open. The non-profit organization is trying to raise $66,000, the amount quoted by UT to run the café on a bi-annual basis. They set a goal of raising $6,600 by Friday’s Texas Union Board meeting. $12,000 in donations came in.

The organization's Facebook group has more than 24,000 members.

For UT student Ambika Singh, a singer, the Cactus Café has special meaning.

"The Cactus Café is the one place I felt comfortable to go to and attempt to perform in front of people,” Singh said. “It’s a humbling experience and yet it’s also very inspiring."

Rally held in support of Cactus Cafe

Several proposals up for consideration

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