Petr, it sounds like Vancouver is an expensive place! Your overheads are more than double ours, but you charge less. No wonder you've got a problem.

The biggest difficulty, and it applies here in the UK as well, is that people aren't prepared to pay a realistic price for their entertainment. They'll have a great night out, but expect to get it for just a few pounds/dollars. They expect the organisers to put in all the hard work (and take the financial risk) for no reward. And then they wonder why the dance or folk song clubs can't keep going.