Chez Bushwick, the studio at 304 Boerum Street that has rented affordable rehearsal and performance space to artists since 2002, marked 24 years with a celebration on June 29, according to a newsletter sent by the Jonah Bokaer Arts Foundation.
The foundation billed the night as “Chez Bushwick @ 24 Years A Celebration!” and listed a 7:30 p.m. start, with tickets through the foundation’s site. The newsletter tied the anniversary to artist Jasmine Rivers, described as a New York State Council on the Arts grantee working at Chez Bushwick, under the tagline the space has used for years: affordable space since 2002.
That tagline is the whole business model. Chez Bushwick subsidizes studio time, which is the cost that decides whether a dance piece gets made in New York, since hourly rehearsal rates are what independent choreographers pay out of pocket long before anyone sells a ticket. NYSCA, the funder the newsletter credits for Rivers, is the state arts council rather than a city agency.
June was busy for the foundation. Its Canto XII annual NYC season ran June 24 through 28 at 7:30 p.m. nightly. On June 22, the RECESS Pride Edition featured Angel Glasby, also at 7:30 p.m. New international board advisor Julius James catalyzed a stand alone RECESS event for The Hudson Eye, the foundation wrote, adding that it affirms “our longtime commitment to Pride solidarity in NYS, the U.S., and internationally.”
The newsletter lists 304 Boerum Street #23 as the foundation’s mailing address and does not give ticket prices for any of the June programs. It also does not say whether the 24th anniversary programming continues past June.
Featured image: Courtesy jonahbokaer.net
