This week, Bushwick’s premier circus arts space The Muse found itself in a sudden financial crisis: Proprietors discovered that a slew of upcoming permits and upgrades to the space that will cost the business a total of $15,000 need to be completed within 20 days, or the doors of its home at 350 Moffat Street will be forced to close.
“The Muse is in danger of losing its beloved home,” reads a message on the organization’s Facebook page from August 10th.
This isn’t the first time that the Muse has faced issues with its location: it came to Bushwick in 2014 after losing its address at 32 S. First Street in Williamsburg when Vice Magazine moved to the neighborhood.
Since setting up shop in Bushwick, the place has quickly established itself as a mainstay of the local performing arts community, hosting performances ranging from opera to a cat circus.
The art hub is currently reaching out to its supporters for assistance it in its time of need and is accepting any and all help.
An initial announcement about the space’s money woes offered up all-access, year long passes to the space and all of its features which cost $1,000 each (a bargain for an avid aerialist—at that price, a week’s access costs less than $20, which is the price of a day pass at normal rates).
In addition to the high priced passes, The Muse has launched a fundraising page with rewards for contributors and is also accepted PayPal donations and is encouraging the public to purchase its merch and spread the word about the situation.
“We humbly thank you for any size donation you can put towards our fundraising needs,” Muse organizers Angela, Rebecca, and Cassandra said on Facebook.
Here’s hoping the initiatives succeed—the neighborhood has lost too many community art spaces this year already.
Featured image: members of the Muse community before the group’s move to Bushwick. Photo Courtesy of The Muse.
