Breyon Sommerville outside.
Breyon Sommerville, who performs under the name 1neofmani, founded LessWork with Madison hip-hop artist K.I.L.O.
Madison rapper and artist Breyon Sommerville hopes his concept for the second floor of the building at 1444 East Washington Ave. will provide affordable artistic development space on Madison’s east side.
Sommerville, via his brand LessWork Local Lifestyle, is raising money to buy the building, or another space if necessary. He would like to transform the space above the Parched Eagle Brew Pub and Aftershock Classic Arcade into a hub for rehearsal, production and retail. Sommerville, who also performs under the name 1neofmani, formed LessWork with Madison hip-hop artist K.I.L.O. in November 2020. It’s a resource for local rappers, helping with studio recording and promotion.
The Art Moderne-style building, built in 1946 to house G.F. Albrecht Dairy Equipment Manufacturing, was long home to Great Big Pictures; the large-format graphics agency (owned, like the building, by Jack Chandler and his family) moved several years ago to a new location near the airport. It was then home to Art In, operated by Chandler, an art venue and performance space that billed itself as a safe space for a diverse audience. During Art In’s tenure there, the second floor was used as art spaces. Art in and its sister bar, Maria’s, closed in February 2020. Sommerville says he has spoken with Chandler, who is open to selling the property.
Sommerville, who rented space on the second floor back then, as he does now, wants to revive the spirit of Art In, but with some differences in its use and purpose. He envisions the 5,485-square-foot second floor as a production facility geared toward rap artists. Sommerville’s vision includes expanding what LessWork is doing there now, with more recording studios, video production facilities and streetwear sales. The facility would also provide rehearsal space for up-and-comers who will one day perform elsewhere, he says.
“My main focus is raising the funds to make an offer to buy,” says Sommerville.
He is looking to raise $200,000 through subscriptions and a GoFundMe page. As envisioned, the project would ultimately be a hub for creation and networking as well as a one-stop shop for social media hosting, photography, custom apparel and more.
Under the current plan, musicians and other participating creatives would subscribe to LessWork’s facilities, paying between $100-$300 per month based on whether they are in the “Fast,” “Steady” or “Slow” production lanes and depending on how much and what of the facility’s services and time they use.
The doors will be open to any artist, but Sommerville sees a focus on rap and thinks most of the participants will be local Black artists.
Madison has a lot of hip-hop artists and artists of color and “this system is set up to help those artists develop and grow,” Sommerville says. “We need this space because there are only about 17,000 Black people in Madison and this gives us something we can identify with and that will have an impact on art and culture in this city.”
Sommerville hopes that if nothing else his plans will inspire similar arts incubators in other parts of the country.
“Music is the highest form of art,” he adds. “We’re raising funds right now to make sure more artists can worry about art, not overhead, and can do a better job making music from their hearts.”
