Floor repair for small co-op studio

Hello, fellow life collaborators!

I’ve created this fundraiser to raise the needed funds to repair the floor in a studio space I co-run and manage. It’s not your typical dance studio space; it’s a very special studio that has been lovingly created and tended to in a co-op/ collaborative/ non-profit manner since 2011.

It’s been over ten years since I transformed the studio from a general art space to a movement/dance/rehearsal-centered space. In 2011, I gave the very old, splintery, softwood fir floor a facelift and sealed it to be fit for body-based work. Since then, I’ve not had the financial and otherwise capacity to do more refinishing work. Needless to say, it is in a very sad state and has become a safety hazard. To continue providing an accessible space, I must fix the floors!

The budget for refinishing the floors (sanding, repairing, and painting) is roughly $2500, which includes $1900 in labor and about $600 in materials/supplies and equipment rental.

Why a fundraiser?

Access to physical spaces to work/rehearse/practice/etc. has been and continues to be cost-prohibitive for most people. The ethos in founding this studio as a shared space was to share the privilege of access to commercial real estate and to make it as accessible as possible to those who couldn’t afford other options. That has meant that instead of leasing the space for profit, I’ve kept the monthly rental rate at or below $100/mo, where I typically pay more on average and absorb the cost risk/burden because I believe it is also a privilege to be a leaseholder.

I’ve chosen to support the studio because it's an expression of my care/love for helping people and sharing resources, not because I'm in a flush financial state. I'm currently on OHP and struggling like so many of us to make ends meet. If I had more financial capacity, I would offer more significant support with an even lower cost for space rental. Over the course of 10+ years of collective care and community tending, we’ve created a very different community support/mutual aid style studio space. I’m hoping that with the wide network of friends, family and co-conspirators, we can raise enough to care for the most pressing space needs.

A bit more backstory -

In the spring of 2009, 11 people joined forces to share the lease of the 4th floor of an old SE Portland building and built it into individual studio spaces (it was a big open warehouse floor plan with only a toilet room in the corner). We each built our own space and personally covered all the building materials and labor costs (many of us built out our studios ourselves). While I initially used the studio as an art space, I decided to open it up a few years later to fellow dancers/performers because access to rehearsal space was cost prohibitive and hard to find. I didn't like the pay-by-the-hour model as it never worked for me as an artist, and I felt that it was nicer to have an open calendar and pay a flat rate every month.

I started with a small group of people, and we all paid equal amounts for my lease portion of the rent. The idea quickly grew, as so many folks couldn't afford rehearsal space and appreciated the ability to be more spontaneous with their studio use. We could all pay less with more people, and we've supported this model for over ten years. There have also been quite a few moments when folks offered to pay more to help others' ability to stay when the cost became prohibitive for them. This value has evolved into many discussions about how to honor certain privileges and provide better support for those from more marginalized positions/identities. We could still do so much more work on this topic! I wouldn't have been able to keep the studio accessible in this way if it weren't for the collective community care/tending that folks have provided over the years.

Annual Studio Budget -

The annual cost of the studio was $7,495 last year. This includes rent, insurance, utilities, and internet for my square footage portion of the lease, plus misc. 4th floor-wide maintenance repairs. Per the terms of our lease, we must also split building-wide maintenance costs with the other building tenants, like elevator and garage door repair, which is exceptionally costly, and we’ve had to pay up several times. The income I received from all the rental use last year was $5,979. This put my personal cost at $1,516, which averages roughly $125/mo. My annual contribution goes up when there is a decrease in the number of members and whenever any unexpected costs arise. There have also been a few times when I was not financially able to absorb an emergency need cost and have asked folks who were able to offer whatever additional amount they could to help us weather whatever was in front of us. Like when we needed a fancy air purifier for covid safety, and folks pitched in to help purchase it.

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So many people have contributed such incredible energy and love that has made the studio a very special place/container for some important magic, creation, and personal evolutions. Please help us continue the life of this space by contributing or sharing with others. The smallest gesture is still so helpful and meaningful.

Thank you!