The Pub Entertainment Committee (PEC) provides the Clark community with music and entertainment, but recent issues with the Office of Student Leadership and Programming (SLP) are creating challenges for the club. These issues are not just affecting bands, but the music community at Clark as well.

According to club leaders, poor communication on SLP’s part is making it challenging to pay artists on time.

“We have been told that artist payments would be going through ‘soon’ so many times, yet artists from as far back as booked in October still have not received payment,” said Nic Smith, a PEC Executive Board member of two years. “We have no way of tracking the progress on these, other than emailing with SLP and the artists constantly. So communication has been tough.” 

On many occasions, it has taken SLP months to pay the bands for their performances at Clark. One of these groups wrote in an email to PEC that they are debating taking the matter to small claims court. 

“Artists need to be paid to live,” Smith said. “It’s their job. Them not getting paid is like doing free labor in any context, and often these artists rely on these payments to pay rent, food, essentials, et cetera. It’s just not okay from any standard.”

An avid music enjoyer, Smith joined PEC to bring more bands to Clark’s campus and create a greater culture around live music. However, as issues regarding payments to bands have continued to persist, Smith says they feel guilty about bringing artists to campus knowing it will be difficult for them to get paid by SLP. 

While these issues have not yet affected PEC’s ability to book artists, there have been moral dilemmas for those like Smith regarding bringing more artists to Clark knowing there will be issues regarding payments. Another concern for PEC is not being able to get new groups due to a worsening reputation in the Worcester music community. 

SLP did not reply to The Scarlet’s requests for comment.