South of the BYU campus, there’s a green house that looks ordinary, but once a month it becomes a stage for local artists to perform.
The Green House open mic nights started in June 2024. The initiative was started by Chloe Jeppson and her friends, the current tenants of the house. After performing at Velour open mic nights, Jeppson decided to host open mics at their house. The first event was held on June 24 that year.
“One night, we were walking back from a jam session and ran into our other best friend, Lizzie, and our neighbor playing the guitar on the front porch under our cafe lights,” Jeppson said. “All of us together decided that we should do an open mic night on our front porch. So me, Lizzie and Beth started it just for fun, as a way to create a venue for good music with good people.”
An idea that started between three friends now welcomes a crowd of at least 200 people, consisting of students and musicians. The open mic is held once a month, and the date is decided based on students' schedules and availability.
“We host open mic nights once a month, and we decide based on when the majority of college students would be free," Jeppson said. "We kinda work around our busy schedules as well as general midterm and holiday schedules.”
The event was born from a group of friends’ love for music and has connected with many other music lovers across Provo.
“We just loved music ourselves, and knew all our friends loved music. So we decided to create a space for that. It was all created from our passion for music and creativity, wanting to share that with others,” Jeppson said
The passion for music goes beyond those friends; it resonated with a bigger community.
Hannah Guevara, a BYU student and frequent attendee of the open mic, views the event as a way to support local artists.
“I think it helps raise awareness of the fact that there are so many people who aren't in the arts and so many people who are passionate about this. There should be more opportunities and more space for people to perform and be vulnerable,” Guevara said.
Artists performing at the greenhouse can feel the sense of community, love and support from the crowd.
Emmaline Cobia, a BYU student and member of the band "Attagirl," recalls her experience performing at the Green House, compared to an ordinary venue.
“The best crowd responses I’ve ever gotten have all been from the Green House. Even when I’ve performed there without inviting anyone, hundreds of strangers hyped me up more than any other crowd has,” Cobia said. “No audience is more willing to support each and every artist like the Green House does.”
The house’s location contributes to the event’s popularity. Situated south of the BYU campus, it's near major off-campus student housing complexes — an area where students are often out and connecting.
“I think the difference from our open mic night to others is the location and the atmosphere we bring. We have a prime location of being right south of campus, where so many people walk by, or can hear it from surrounding blocks,” Jeppson said.
The students are renters of the Green House, but they have a supportive landlord.
For Jeppson, a really important part of the Green House open mic night's impact on the Provo community is its atmosphere — or the overall vibe of the event.
“I think we have created a really kind and encouraging atmosphere and vibe with our crowd, as well as with our artists performing. We want everyone to feel welcome, and we try really hard to make that known,” Jeppson said.
The Green House open mic stands apart as a free community event and as a place for artists to play to people, even if they normally wouldn't have access to those resources.
“I think the Green House is such an awesome platform for people who may not always have the opportunity to perform or do what they love, and it's such a safe platform where people can just go casually and sign up and perform in front of people who are supportive,” Guevara said.
The event has grown since 2024, and what started as an idea is now an event known across the community, and the passion and appreciation from those watching, as well as performing, also continue to grow.
The next open mic is set to take place on Nov. 17. To keep up with the event and date, check the Green House open mic Instagram page.