An announcement late last night from the proprietors of beloved Bushwick DIY art hub Secret Project Robot (SPR) publicly confirmed a decision which has long been in the works: when the end of the space’s 5-year lease is up at the end of the summer, they’ll be packing up to move.
“I will not give our landlords a bad name, they offered us a fair deal to stay, it was simply something that is untenable for a small artist run organization to swallow in the wake of higher priced everything else in New York City as well,” SPR’s Rachel Nelson said in an email to the space’s followers.
The organization, which previously occupied part of Williamsburg’s Monster Island and celebrated its 10th anniversary last June, is currently seeking spaces further east in the borough and will have a full lineup of events scheduled throughout the next three months, including Pride weekend events, the queer Latina dance party Tortura, and a final Bushwig bash.
Wherever it lands, SPR will maintain a presence in the neighborhood at its sister locations Happyfun Hideaway and Flowers for All Occasions, which exclusively employ artists.
So raise a glass to resilient, lovingly cultivated community spaces everywhere—and be sure to enjoy as much of Secret Project’s final summer in the neighborhood as you can.