Beach business offers mobile-first option to support musicians at this month’s jazz festival

By MATTHEW STEPHENS

For more than 35 years, the Beaches International Jazz festival has supported local artists as they share the gift of music with their community.

However, in an era of rising costs and increased competition to secure funding, many organizers often find themselves fighting an uphill battle to ensure an event’s long-term success – a persistent issue that a new local business is hoping to solve.

Introducing Tiplor: a simple, mobile-first way for festivalgoers to support the live musical experiences they love.

With just a quick QR code scan, event attendees can engage directly with the festival experience via their mobile device, giving artists and events the opportunity to generate revenue directly from the people who value them.

“We came up with the concept of Tiplor, that ostensibly is nothing more than a frictionless mechanism to show your appreciation for artistry, whether it’s a busker or a band or an artist – whatever the case may be. It’s a mechanism that allows somebody to scan, tip, and leave,” said the company’s co-founder Peter Quay in a recent interview with Beach Metro Community News.

Working in partnership with Lido Chilelli, founder and executive director of the Beaches International Jazz Festival, attendees will be able to scan QR codes stationed across the event, taking them to the festival’s custom URL page where they can then support the event through tip donations via Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a credit card. The service works without the need for any card readers or apps, and tips are processed instantly via the financial infrastructure platform Stripe.

Tiplor codes will be accessible at all festival locations, including the popular street festival along Queen Street East and all performances planned for Woodbine Park and Jimmie Simpson Park.

“We will have poster boards throughout the street fest and at Jimmie Simpson and Woodbine Park, that will allow patrons – in the moment – to scan the QR code and tip the event, which will help to keep it alive and in good health,” said Quay.

Inspiration for the company came to him and his co-founder Sean O’Quinn during a live music event at Castro’s Lounge (2116 Queen St. E.), where they were handed a tip jar passed out by the local performer.

“After seeing some killer acts like we normally did, low and behold, they pass around a tip jar and collect their vig and go,” explained Quay. “He and I started talking about it in the context of whether there would be a better way that is less about pleading the cause and more about appreciation for the talent.”

Acknowledging that carrying money on hand has become a thing of the past for many, the duo set out with a goal to provide a service that could help artists generate revenue in the digital era.

“Nowadays, because a lot of people don’t carry cash and just use their phone or cards, this is just an easier mechanism whereby people can participate in acknowledgement of the artistry,” said Quay.

As the idea started to take shape, Quay and O’Quinn knew it was essential for the service to feel as seamless as possible for both the artist and the patron supporting them.

“It’s anonymous, there’s no apps to download. It’s easy, and on that basis were about ‘found money.’ Money that would not necessarily show up in a tip jar or into a band’s PayPal,” said Quay. “We still encourage bands and artists to keep all of those things; we find money that otherwise would not be spent on their artistry.”

According to Quay, since officially launching last July, more than 135 artists have taken advantage of the company’s services — some of which are performers from other countries.

“We have artists from around the world using us, but the focus is here because we all started here supporting artists at Castro’s, The Gull and Firkin, and anywhere else that live music is played in the Beach,” said Quay.

As a proud Beach-based company, he said the opportunity to partner with the Beaches International Jazz Festival is a significant milestone in the company’s progression.

“We’re very excited by the proposition. We firmly believe in our platform,” said Quay.

“The jazz festival entertains thousands of people who come down to the area to enjoy it. This is just another way for the general public to acknowledge the artistry and support the festival.”

For more information about Tiplor, please visit https://tiplor.com/