Chimaera Arts

Description xxxxxThis is one of the many converted warehouses in DUMBO, but unlike most of them, it does not have some corporate developer's sign out front promising transformation into luxury condominiums or a boutique shopping center or the latest concept restaurant. The entrance to its grounds is marked by a wildly colorful double helical arch with a steel scroll sign that reads "Chimaera Art Space!" above "chimaera.org" in smaller letters. xxxxxThe warehouse is moderately large and heavily decorated with graffiti art in various styles--some of it recognizable as the work of renowned local street artists. A pair of monstrous scrap metal sculptures, perhaps still works in progress, flank the entrance. The building itself has undergone significant renovation recently, complete with wiring, plumbing, and a modular partitioning system. The grounds, too, have been cleaned up, ramshackle fences torn down and rusting detritus removed in favor of reclaimed (and brilliantly repainted) outdoor furniture ringing an impressively engineered firepit. Structure and Purpose xxxxxFounded in 2014 by a small group of anarchists, Chimaera has outgrown its origins as a small art skills- and equipment-sharing space. The collective that runs Chimaera seeks to provide an affordable space for artists and community members to teach and learn, create art, host events, and build community. xxxxxThe Chimaera collective maintains a wide range of art equipment available for community rental, studio space, event space, as well as offering low-cost classes in things from painting and carpentry and glassworking and circus arts to direct action organizing and community first aid. xxxxxChimaera is a worker-owned collective. All members are joint and equal co-owners of the organization and space, and have an equal say in collective decisions. xxxxxIt is not required to be a member of Chimaera to use their space, take their classes, or hold events there -- the overwhelming majority of people who interact with Chimaera will never be members. Becoming a member of Chimaera is either a) an enormous time commitment (think, taking an unpaid second job) or b) very expensive; membership is an ongoing commitment to putting in the necessary work of maintaining the project. xxxxxClasses cost money, but are offered on a sliding scale; the same for renting time (or training) on some of the specialized equipment or private studio time. People who want to simply come and hang out, bring their own tools, chill on the couches, sketch, socialize with other artists, are free and welcome to do so without joining. Space xxxxxThe only standing space the collective maintains is a large converted warehouse in DUMBO with an also-large semi-enclosed courtyard space out back. The warehouse has several dedicated classroom spaces, an industrial kitchen, a second floor with private studio space as well as storage space and bathrooms with showers. There are dedicated work spaces for woodshop, metalsmithing, glassworking, screen printing, and bike repair; there are modular work spaces that can be left wide open for practices such as dance or partitioned for privacy as people work on projects like painting; there is a wide range of prop and fiber arts tools. They have been looking recently into purchasing the adjacent warehouse to expand and have room for a better darkroom as well as a machine/welding shop and digital fabrication. xxxxxChimaera's event space is available for public rental, though they do have a very stringent nondiscrimination policy and will not rent space to anyone whose event or organizational goals contradicts it. Members can also block the renting of the space to anyone they think is too out of line with their general ethos; in practice this tends to mean that outside of apolitical art events/shows/parties a lot of what events they host tend to come from organizations that lean left to extremely left. xxxxxChimaera is not an explicitly mutant-run or mutant-targeted space -- mostly just a bunch of punks and hippies and artists from all sorts of demographic backgrounds. They do have a number of extremely high-profile mutants and mutant activists among their members, which has gotten them A Reputation in the community for being a safe place to hold mutant-friendly events, but the majority of Chimaera's members ICly are still human. Important Events Evolympics - A series of mutant-only athletic games meant to raise funds for Evolve Cafe. Something Different - An art show specifically meant to showcase the talents of obvious mutants. Artfight - Monthly art event, a kind of dueling live art show sort of like a cross between Pictionary and pro wrestling. Roster Members Dawson Jax - Co-founder Marinov Ryan Steve Tag - Co-founder Comrades B Lyric Taylor	Chimaera Arts Neighborhood DUMBO, Brooklyn Type Arts Co-Op Hours of Operation n/a Mutant-friendliness A+
Logs
Date Title Cast Mentions (2024-12-10) Flight of Fancy Ryan, Scott Horus, Anahita (2024-11-15) Tales, Glorious Tales Anahita, Karida, Kamil Khalil (2024-11-12) Punch More Nazis Joshua, Steve (2024-08-11) Life and Destruction Ryan, Amo Spencer, Jax (2024-06-30) Out of Context Anahita, Joshua, Lumin (2024-05-07) Hands On Jax, Lumin, Ryan Taylor, Lucien (2024-04-04) Eyes Only Joshua, Winona Lucien, Matt, Flèche (2023-03-08) Second Thoughts Lily, Definitely Joshua Joshua (2023-02-08) Eternal Family DJ, Lily Hive, Dawson (2023-01-04) (Re)connecting? Anahita, DJ Dawson, Polaris, WInona, Maya, Jamie, Leo, Lucien (2022-05-24) Unfinished Work DJ, Steve Dawson, B, Tony (2022-03-30) Recursive Loop Joshua, Lily Hive, Steve, Tag (2022-02-06) What You Own Polaris, Wendy Erik (2021-12-17) In Which a Birthday Celebration and a Conference Call Both Necessitate Additional Fortification Daiki, Taylor Hive (2021-11-11) Build Something DJ, Lily (2021-11-09) Eternal Progression DJ, Polaris (2021-10-26) This Is War DJ, Hive, Jax, Lily, Polaris (2021-10-23) Radical Mandate Daiki, Jax, Lily (2021-10-15) Exchange Rate Lily, Ryan, Skye (2021-10-10) Taking Up Space Jax, Lily (2021-05-04) Nefarious Scheme Polaris, Wendy (2021-03-14) Everyday Fashion Daiki, Marinov (2021-02-04) Reverse Fashion Heist Mutual Aid Jax, Marinov (2020-12-20) Make the Season Bright Jax, Spencer (2020-10-29) In Memoriam Jax, Steve, Tag (2020-10-21) More Involved Jax, Kieow, Lily (2020-10-07) Community Spread Daiki, Marinov? (2020-08-18) Art Crime Jax, Tag (2020-08-04) Up in the Air Rasa, Sarah, Steve (2020-06-18) Drawn Out Alex, Desi, Jax, Tag (2020-05-16) Worth It Jax, Steve (2020-05-06) Sight Unseen Sarah, Shane, Steve, just a touch of Ryan (2020-04-24) Start Big Flicker, Steve (2020-02-04) Art and War Akihiro, Sarah (2020-01-27) Legacies Akihiro, Polaris (2019-12-21) Glamor Daiki, Ryan, Steve (2019-11-26) Networking Flicker, Sarah (2019-11-18) Aging Gracefully Akihiro, Steve (2019-10-29) Getting There Jax, Steve (2019-10-12) On That Gay Shit Ion, Sarah, Steve (2019-09-27) Friend Zone Hive, Flicker, Steve, Jax (2019-09-25) Be Normal Flicker, Jax, Rasa (2019-08-06) In Which an Artist Is Introduced to Wonderland (Minus Any Kind of Rabbit Holes) Taylor, Sarah, Daiki (2019-07-07) Stains Jax, Steve (2019-06-26) It's Complicated Ryan, Steve (2019-06-13) Talk It Out Dusk, Steve, Ion (2019-05-15) Fine Artists Charlie, Ion, Tag (2019-05-03) Usual Kind of People Flicker, Steve (2019-04-28) Ancient History Jax, Steve (2019-04-11) Better Place Flicker, Steve
Mentions
Date Title Cast Mentions Archived Logs Date Title Cast Mentions (2017-09-15) In Which Some Mutants Look For Jobs, Some Mutants Look For Help, and Some Mutants Look For Trouble Blink, Ion, Jax, Lucien, Matt, fakeJoshua, Taylor, Theo (2017-09-15) Helping Out Paige, Theo (2017-09-08) Mutants of Late Capitalism Ryan, Tag, Theo (2017-05-21) Something Different Alex, B, Blink, Dakota, Desi, Dusk, Elias, Elliott, Flicker, Heather, Hive, Horus, Ion, Isra, Jax, Joshua, Lucien, Lyric, Marinov, Monsterling, Natalie, Nic, Nick, Paige, Paras, Peter, Ryan, Sam, Scramble, Spencer, Shane, Tag, Taylor (2017-05-18) Be Controversial Jax, Marinov, Ryan, Tag (2016-08-23) Place Natalie, Scramble (2016-07-17) Motivating Jared, Shane, Steve (2016-07-03) Real Interesting B, Desi, Shane (2016-05-27) Media Steve, Tag (2016-01-14) So Much Jax, Tag (2014-11-20) Chimerical Jax, Tag