Melo Villareal
Most Entertaining Cities in the US
There are simply some cities that are better suited than others to up and coming entertainers. Some cities are well known by everybody. Other cities are lesser-known but are, nonetheless, making a name for themselves as new places to be for people who are trying to break into the entertainment industry. Here are some of the cities you should think about living in if you want to be a professional entertainer or artist.
Los Angeles
This one is pretty much a given. Hollywood is here. Most of the major music labels are based here (or have offices here). This is a city that is built almost entirely on the entertainment industry. This means that the resources you need to hone your crafts are abundant. Music lessons in LA are plentiful and affordable, as are acting lessons, writing classes, entertainment business courses, etc.
New York
New York is another huge name in the entertainment industry. This city, however, tends to cater more toward the people trying to make a break in the music, theater and art than in movies or television (though, admittedly the margin is slim). The number of places a person can play open mic nights are in the thousands as are the experimental theater companies and galleries that take undiscovered artists. Heck, in New York, you can busk full time and make a pretty good living just by playing in the subway!
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is a fantastic place for people who are trying to make names for themselves in comedy. Second City—the famous comedy troupe that feeds directly into Saturday Night Live and the standup circuit is here. Writers also have good livings here as there are plenty of independent bookstores that will take books on consignment and help you make a name for yourself. The cold winters are fantastic for many of the Chicago activities and also holing up at home and honing your craft and working on the business side of your dream.
Nashville, Tennessee
Musicians love Nashville. Even if your style is not of the country persuasion, you can find a place to play in Nashville. A lot of now-famous musicians were first discovered playing small clubs in Nashville—a city where label reps are so plentiful they blend in with the riff-raff. There are opportunities for actors, artists, and writers as well but there is no secret to the fact that Nashville is a music town.
Portland, Oregon
Oregon is getting more and more popular with movie and television makers every day. Portland, in particular, is home to a plethora of television shows and movie shoots. The studios use local talent whenever possible so this could be the perfect city to break into the industry (at a fraction of the cost of living associated with living in a bigger city like LA or New York). The city is also friendly to independent artists, musicians, and writers.
There are some cities built for breaking into the industry and if you are someone who thrives amongst highly competitive environments, you will do well there. If you aren’t someone who is energized by breaking out of a crowd of thousands, one of the lesser-known cities mentioned here can help you achieve your dreams. Good luck!
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