KUT is favored choice to revive campus music venue

The University of Texas is looking for a new entity to manage the Cactus Cafe, a campus music venue and bar, and KUT-FM is the hands-down favorite among student leaders, the Austin American-Statesman reports. The public radio station has offered to work with student organizations to program music events, but it doesn’t want to manage the bar. “I don’t want a line item in KUT’s budget for alcohol,” says Stewart Vanderwilt, g.m., during a public forum on options for the cafe. Early this year the university announced plans to shut down the money-losing venue, but, after an outcry from students and Austinites, it’s now looking for ways to make it self-supporting. Vanderwilt suggested a combination of ticket sales and philanthropic support. “There are KUT donors who might give an extra $100 a year to be part of the ‘Cactus Producers Club’ or something,” he says.