Ryan Minard
Communication’s founding crew, from left: Jennifer Bastian, Mollie Martin, Tessa Echeverria and Spencer Bible.
Near the corner of Milwaukee and Winnebago Streets, a former window treatment store is undergoing a radical transformation. Over the past few weekends, a crew of Madison artists, musicians and friends has been hard at work ripping up flooring, tearing out walls and preparing the building for its future as a collaborative arts and music venue.
The new space, Communication, is set to open in May and will host live performances, art installations, creative workshops and youth programming. Leading the effort are Tessa Echeverria, Spencer Bible, Jennifer Bastian and Mollie Martin, all Madison-based artists and musicians with deep ties to the local DIY community. (Full disclosure: I recently helped with some cleaning at Communication, and my band is playing a gig there in June). Since signing their lease at 2645 Milwaukee St. and announcing the project in mid-March, an online fundraising campaign has brought in $8,800. “The outpouring of support helps affirm that we are on the right path,” Echeverria says. “This is a space we need in Madison.”
Over the last few years, there’s been much talk about Madison emerging as a “music city” as promoters continue to bring in more national acts and big venues consolidate under the ownership of Frank Productions, which sold a controlling interest to entertainment behemoth Live Nation earlier this year. But those involved in the local scene say that fostering homegrown talent and supporting inclusive performance spaces is equally important. Running an all-ages, alcohol-free venue has long been a dream for Echeverria, who plays in several bands and runs Williamson Magnetic Recording Company, an all-analogue studio that sometimes serves as a performance venue. Bible, another musician who frequently books gigs around town for local and touring acts, had similar hopes of running his own all-ages space.
Ryan Minard
The unorthodox layout of the former window covering showroom suits the group’s artistic mission.
“Programming-wise, I’m really excited to mix it up and do non-traditional bills,” Bible says, suggesting a mix of music, comedy, dance or performance art. “Also, shorter shows and shows that start on time, and shows that broaden the [audience] coming in to experience them.”
The pair teamed up about a year and a half ago and began looking for possible locations, later bringing on Martin and Bastian as the project’s mission evolved. Martin is a mixed-media artist and stylist who works with the vintage clothing collective Good Style Shop, and Bastian is a photographer and multidisciplinary artist who recently completed a residence at the Madison Public Library’s Bubbler and was selected to be a part of the 2017-18 Dane County Emerging Artists Program.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,” says Bastian, whose art practice centers on creating cozy, physical spaces (think beautiful blanket forts) to help foster interpersonal connections, and in many cases, communication.
The space itself is gloriously strange — the former window showroom connects to a warehouse, which connects to a two-story house. But organizers say the unorthodox layout is a perfect fit for Communication’s proposed programming and artistic mission. The venue will also include a retail space where local artists will sell their work, an art-focused makerspace and two rented artists studios on the upper floor of the building. The building is zoned commercial, and since the venue will not serve alcohol there is no special license required to hold performances.
Ryan Minard
The former window treatment showroom (left) will be converted into a retail space where local artists and craftspeople can sell their wares. In the building's warehouse space (right) volunteers are soundproofing the walls and building a stage.
Rent income from the studios will be a source of revenue for Communication, along with income from ticketed events, retail sales and memberships that would include access to the makerspace and art supplies. Organizers are in the process of registering as a 501(c)3 nonprofit and also plan to apply for grants and other funding. The new initiative has received warm reception from the local arts community, and the team says they have offers of support from organizations like the nearby Arts & Literature Lab (ALL) and the Bubbler.
“It’s great to see people taking risks on creative spaces for artists and writers and musicians to do their work and share it with the community,” says Rita Mae Reese, co-director of literary programming at ALL. “We’re very happy to see the east side growing this way.”
Several big challenges remain for Communication — building a stage, adding a bathroom and soundproofing the heck out of the warehouse. A walkthrough with the Madison Fire Department will determine occupancy limits. But organizers are pleased with the progress and confident the space will come together. Their first show, a performance from Brooklyn-based avant garde flutist Ka Baird, is set for May 30.
“The biggest thing we need from the community,” Echeverria says, “ is for people to come out and support our space.”
