While wildfire smoke is putting air quality on Chicagoans’ minds, a Hyde Parker has been on a mission to make air cleaner at concerts in the city.
Clean Air Club was born after Emily Dupree’s partner got COVID-19 at a concert in the city this year. Dupree crowdfunded nine HEPA purifiers to loan out to artists and venues to make shows COVID-safer.
Within a couple weeks of launching, there was more demand than there were purifiers, Dupree said.
Kara Jackson with a Clean Air Club purifier at Metro in May. (Courtesy of Emily Dupree)
How Clean Air Club works
Artists, venues, and galleries can check out HEPA purifiers, which usually cost $650 each, for free for a single event or a few months. Send an email.
Want to get involved?
Donate to the GoFundMe, which will help get purifiers in the hands of more artists. Reach out to venues and express interest for more COVID-safe shows, including masking and testing requirements.
Bigger picture
Air purification reduces not only COVID transmission but also effects of wildfire smoke. COVID safety is also a workplace issue for performers and workers at venues night after night.
“I think there is this kind of false perception that everybody has moved on from COVID,” Dupree said. “But what has happened is the people who do want COVID safety have been pushed out of these spaces. There is a big untapped market for COVID-safe shows.”
