Approaches to participatory governance in culture

ABC No Rio
New York City, New York, United States of America

ABC No Rio is a community center for art and activism. Our gallery and performance space was founded by artists committed to political and social engagement and we retain these values to the present. We trace our genesis to The Real Estate Show, New Year's Day, 1980, an intervention in which more than thirty artists occupied an abandoned building and mounted an exhibition addressing New York City housing and land use policies. That show was quickly shut down by the police, the artwork confiscated. The City was forced into negotiations with the artists and offered them the storefront and basement at 156 Rivington Street. That space became ABC No Rio.

abcnorio.org

Contact

Steven Englander

steven@abcnorio.org

Director

Photos

General info

More than 5 years

variable

1

40-50

Space/venue classification

Socio-cultural centre

Crafts and applied arts studio

Exhibitions

Film and photography studio

Performing venue

Space for workshops

Space for meetings, discussions and presentations

Other

zine library, computer center, bicycle repair workshop

Architecture and urbanism

Artivism

Children and youth

Community action

Crafts and applied arts

Film and photography

Interdisciplinary

Literature

Multimedia arts

Music

Performing arts

Visual arts

Ownership and governance model

Not-for-profit organisation

Other

Contract:

ABC No Rio owns the building

Civil society organisation: Other

Public enterprise: Micro

Private enterprise: Micro

Other

Squatters

Today 501-c3 federally-certified non-profit as umbrella; funding from State, City and private sources

Governance structure

yes

Other

director; irregular assembly of collective using the space; also a board of directors as specified by law

running everything

Managing structure

yes

Managing Directorship

running everything

Advisory Bodies

yes

Other

supporting director

Governance structure

yes

General Assembly

Managing structure

yes

Other

now unclear what you want

unclear what you want

Advisory Bodies

yes

Other

now unclear what you want

advisory

Visitors

Volunteer work

Participation in production

Participation in production: Both

Model of space/venue usage

Cultural institution: Public

Cultural institution: Private

Civil society organisation: Community organisations

Civil society organisation: Cooperatives

Civil society organisation: Voluntary associations

Civil society organisation: Other

Public enterprise: Micro

Private enterprise: Micro

Other

artists of all kinds

unsure of this

Short term

Long term

Both (short-term and long-term)

nightly, weekly

included collective projects

Both

Qualitative criteria (e.g., artistic merit, cultural and social relevance, etc.)

Financing model

Public funding

Other

earned income from events -- guess 40%

Public funding (%): guess: 60%

Other

donations, admissions, grants from state and city

Comments

This is being completed by ex-oficio member of board of directors, not the director himself. The building of ABC No Rio is currently demolished; a new one is under construction.