History
A history of Oakland Venue Management
Andrew Jones and Steve Snider: General Mangers
The founders and principal owners of Oakland Venue Management (OVM) are Steve Snider and Andrew Jones. Snider and Jones met in Oakland, California in late 2002 at the legendary, non-profit community arts venue known as the Oakland Box Theater (OBT). Snider co-founded this respected theater and gallery in 2001. This venue, now known as the Uptown Nightclub located at 1928 Telegraph Avenue, is commonly recognized as one of the founding arts venues of Oakland’s emerging Uptown Arts and Entertainment District. Between 2001 and 2004, OBT hosted over 500 community-based arts events. Though it is no longer a brick and mortar venue, Oakland Box Theater is still a functioning non-profit organization and Snider and Jones act as President and Vice President of the organization’s Board of Directors.
In 2004, Snider and Jones opened another well known and respected community arts space called 2232 MLK located on the corner of West Grand Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. From 2004 to 2007, 2232 MLK hosted over 400 community-based, public and private events.
From 2006 to 2009, Snider and Jones began to formulate their vision for Oakland Venue Management as a company while they grew their business experience and community connections through the operation and management of the 1200 person capacity venue known as Historic Sweet’s Ballroom located at 1933 Broadway also located in Uptown Oakland. During the Sweet’s Ballroom years, Snider and Jones booked and managed over 150 large-scale public and private events in this beautifully restored Art Deco venue. They recognized a growing need within the Oakland community for professionally managed and operated venues for all types of events, community gatherings, conferences and meetings. In late 2007, after working collaboratively for over four years, Snider and Jones decided to create a business partnership and incorporate as OVM. By 2009, Snider and Jones collectively had nearly 20 years of venue and event management experience, directly booking and managing well over 1000 diverse events in Uptown Oakland alone.
In 2009, Snider and Jones, as Oakland Venue Management, leveraged their business experience and their extensive community connections in Oakland and were hired to assist in day-to-day operations of the Downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt-Uptown Community Benefit Districts (CBDs). The CBDs, are special assessment districts funded by the property owners within the boundaries of the Districts. The CBDs, as non-profit organizations, provide special benefit services to 55 square blocks of Uptown and Downtown Oakland. In 2012, OVM was awarded the joint District Management contract to oversee the operation and management of these two important community-based projects. Through their role managing the Community Benefit Districts, OVM helps facilitate a functional public/private partnership with the City of Oakland working closely with all city departments from the Mayor’s office to the City Administrator’s Office to the Office of Economic Development to the Cultural Arts and Marketing Department to the Oakland Police Department to the Public Works Agency. OVM is fully engaged with the Oakland community and is dedicated to helping the City of Oakland achieve its’ full potential.
Simultaneous to managing the CBDs, OVM contracted with The Swig Company in April of 2010 to manage all of the special events and meeting facilities within the Kaiser Center located at 300 Lakeside Drive. As of January 2012, OVM contracted with the Oakland Diocese to also manage and operated the new Event Center at the Cathedral of Christ the Light located at 2121 Harrison Street, immediately next door to the Kaiser Center. OVM also provides weekly event staff for the Oakland Fox Theater and the Den at The Fox.
Snider and Jones and Oakland Venue Management have continually explored ways to create a synergistic relationship between their non-profit community development work and their for-profit venue development and event management services. We currently have nine full time employees, one half time employee and 15 part time employees.
A history of Oakland Venue Management
Andrew Jones and Steve Snider: General Mangers
The founders and principal owners of Oakland Venue Management (OVM) are Steve Snider and Andrew Jones. Snider and Jones met in Oakland, California in late 2002 at the legendary, non-profit community arts venue known as the Oakland Box Theater (OBT). Snider co-founded this respected theater and gallery in 2001. This venue, now known as the Uptown Nightclub located at 1928 Telegraph Avenue, is commonly recognized as one of the founding arts venues of Oakland’s emerging Uptown Arts and Entertainment District. Between 2001 and 2004, OBT hosted over 500 community-based arts events. Though it is no longer a brick and mortar venue, Oakland Box Theater is still a functioning non-profit organization and Snider and Jones act as President and Vice President of the organization’s Board of Directors.
In 2004, Snider and Jones opened another well known and respected community arts space called 2232 MLK located on the corner of West Grand Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. From 2004 to 2007, 2232 MLK hosted over 400 community-based, public and private events.
From 2006 to 2009, Snider and Jones began to formulate their vision for Oakland Venue Management as a company while they grew their business experience and community connections through the operation and management of the 1200 person capacity venue known as Historic Sweet’s Ballroom located at 1933 Broadway also located in Uptown Oakland. During the Sweet’s Ballroom years, Snider and Jones booked and managed over 150 large-scale public and private events in this beautifully restored Art Deco venue. They recognized a growing need within the Oakland community for professionally managed and operated venues for all types of events, community gatherings, conferences and meetings. In late 2007, after working collaboratively for over four years, Snider and Jones decided to create a business partnership and incorporate as OVM. By 2009, Snider and Jones collectively had nearly 20 years of venue and event management experience, directly booking and managing well over 1000 diverse events in Uptown Oakland alone.
In 2009, Snider and Jones, as Oakland Venue Management, leveraged their business experience and their extensive community connections in Oakland and were hired to assist in day-to-day operations of the Downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt-Uptown Community Benefit Districts (CBDs). The CBDs, are special assessment districts funded by the property owners within the boundaries of the Districts. The CBDs, as non-profit organizations, provide special benefit services to 55 square blocks of Uptown and Downtown Oakland. In 2012, OVM was awarded the joint District Management contract to oversee the operation and management of these two important community-based projects. Through their role managing the Community Benefit Districts, OVM helps facilitate a functional public/private partnership with the City of Oakland working closely with all city departments from the Mayor’s office to the City Administrator’s Office to the Office of Economic Development to the Cultural Arts and Marketing Department to the Oakland Police Department to the Public Works Agency. OVM is fully engaged with the Oakland community and is dedicated to helping the City of Oakland achieve its’ full potential.
Simultaneous to managing the CBDs, OVM contracted with The Swig Company in April of 2010 to manage all of the special events and meeting facilities within the Kaiser Center located at 300 Lakeside Drive. As of January 2012, OVM contracted with the Oakland Diocese to also manage and operated the new Event Center at the Cathedral of Christ the Light located at 2121 Harrison Street, immediately next door to the Kaiser Center. OVM also provides weekly event staff for the Oakland Fox Theater and the Den at The Fox.
Snider and Jones and Oakland Venue Management have continually explored ways to create a synergistic relationship between their non-profit community development work and their for-profit venue development and event management services. We currently have nine full time employees, one half time employee and 15 part time employees.
Our Mission 
Our primary mission as a company is to enhance the artistic, cultural and economic vitality of the Oakland community. We aim, at all times, to provide professional staff and high quality venues and production services.
We support and promote a wide diversity of artistic, cultural and corporate events in the Oakland community. It is our commitment to both our customers and our community to provide professional and experienced staff for all facilities, events and projects we manage.
We have a strong commitment to community and youth development and seek to facilitate direct access to art, culture, employment, internships and education.
Our primary mission as a company is to enhance the artistic, cultural and economic vitality of the Oakland community. We aim, at all times, to provide professional staff and high quality venues and production services.
We support and promote a wide diversity of artistic, cultural and corporate events in the Oakland community. It is our commitment to both our customers and our community to provide professional and experienced staff for all facilities, events and projects we manage.
We have a strong commitment to community and youth development and seek to facilitate direct access to art, culture, employment, internships and education.