New Open Lot studio space Info + viewing May 4, 2009

The new Open Lot Nashville alternative arts studio space will be available to view Monday, May 4th from 7pm-8pm. The space is still somewhat raw, so it would be great to get feedback on artists' needs/ideas before we start building it out. Everyone is invited whether they plan to utilize the studios & exhibition space or not. Please meet in front of the building at 632 4th Ave. S. Parking is free and directly across the street on 4th Ave.

Open Lot is a new collaborative studio, venue and exhibition space in downtown Nashville, TN. As an exhibition space and venue, we showcase compelling contemporary work that is underrepresented in Nashville. By featuring a diverse cross-section of work, Open Lot simultaneously embraces individual specialization and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Open Lot fosters interdisciplinary collaboration as a studio. We are looking for participants with interest in the arts, communication, and invention of any kind. Open Lot members represent a variety of backgrounds, like architecture, sound engineering, journalism, photography, painting, sculpture, fabrication, and printmaking, just to name a few. By sharing the insights, theories, and techniques of their respective disciplines, studio members gain broader understanding and amass artistic and intellectual tools.

The Open Lot Nashville space is almost ready. The building is organized into three main spaces on two floors: the ground floor exhibition space, the ground floor studios & tools, and the second floor studios. The ground floor is a large, open plan where the exhibition and performance space will be, along with communal tools, worktables, and a large communal work space. The ground floor is subdivided by small, movable walls on casters. These walls allow the space to easily be reconfigured into a larger or smaller exhibition space and add new niches for additional studios, storage, etc. as needed. The second floor houses three 250 sq. ft. large studios, one 185 sq. ft. medium-sized studio, and one 120 sq. ft. small studio. Each of the five studio spaces can be subdivided into smaller studios (or add more wall space for 2-D artists, etc.) if there is demand.

Jonathan Lisenby
openlotnashville@gmail.com
www.theopenlot.org