A Group of Young Artists Open a New Space in Fishtown
The Fishtown Collective aims to show art, music and other creative performances.
From left: Will Sacksteder, Max McCormack and Kat O'Brien are three of the people working to make the Fishtown Collective possible.
Like many small groups, the newly formed Fishtown Collective is a friendship chain. It all started when 20-year-old Will Sacksteder, on leave from Temple University, got permission to use the empty loading dock at his dad’s Chalmur Bag Company on Front and Jefferson streets.
Sacksteder, who was in a death metal band for years, wanted a place to host concerts, and when the company vacated the loading dock, he jumped at his chance for a space of his own. Sacksteder talked with his friend, Victor Gennaro, a Temple theater major (now the group’s producing artistic director) and word about the space spread quickly among his college friends. Soon the vision evolved to include an art component and long-range plan for several concerts.
Collectives rise and fall on the ability of individuals to get a diverse range of jobs done. Gennaro and Sacksteder—along with Jillian Long, Kat O’Brien, Rob Stillwagon, Seth Schmitt-Hall and Max McCormack—divvied up the responsibilities: designing and building the stage, setting up a soundbooth and gallery, gathering the bands and artists, raising money, sending out press releases, getting permits and creating a website.
“You have to really trust each other to get it done,” says McCormack, the group’s public relations director and a Temple communications major.
The fruits of their labor will be visible this Saturday, when the Collective hosts its first major event—a show featuring art and music. Local bands Toy Soldiers; You, Me, and T. Rex; the Armchairs; and the Korfs donate their talent. Works by 10 artists as well as pieces by students from the City Year After School program at Feltonville School will be showcased before the concert on moveable towers designed by O’Brien to imitate the look of the Philadelphia skyline. Made of scrap wood, cardboard tubing and painted canvas, the towers will be placed beside the stage before the concert begins.
All proceeds from art sales will go to the artists—no percentage will be taken by the organizers.
The Collective envisions the space for fashion shows, film screenings, theatrical productions and, as their mission statement proclaims, “any new expression of youth and culture.”
For more on the Philadelphia art scene go to theartblog.org.
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1. really? said... on May 5, 2009 at 11:57AM
“this article is ridiculous. it is a shame that attention is given to 'artists' who's parents give them a place to show art while they 'take time off' from school. in this time of economic depression, and being a person that looks at art as a sign and reflection of the times, it is offensive to read this article. there are many struggling young artists that never even get to go to school and surely do not have daddy footing the bill. maybe you write about a more deserving collective next time. also- are these people even from fishtown? it is aggravating when suburbanites come into an area and claim it as their own. that's sometimes called gentrification, or more properly, imperialism.”
2. Good for Phillie said... on May 5, 2009 at 07:48PM
“I think it's GREAT that these young individuals did all this hard work to improve the arts in Phillie. Good for them. I wish them nothing but the best of luck with the opening.”
3. loves it! said... on May 5, 2009 at 08:06PM
“I think it's amazing that young people in Philadelphia are choosing to spend their time doing something that influences their community for the better. Considering the fact that many young people in Philadelphia are doing much worse things with their time, I think that these people are worthy of praise rather than criticism. Not only are most of them members of Philadelphia, being Temple University students, some do even live in Fishtown, and have decided to promote the arts in their community in an attempt to improve appreciation of the arts within a fresh, new scene. If the arts are a "sign and reflection of the times," then I think the Fishtown Collective is nothing but an incredibly promising sign of things to come in the Philadelphia arts community. Best luck with all your endeavors!”
4. awesome. said... on May 5, 2009 at 08:58PM
“This is revolution :-)”
5. roberta said... on May 6, 2009 at 03:48PM
“I'm in agreement with the enthusiasts. I see this as a good development. I love a project that seeks to give young artists a platform to perform and reach an audience. It's a community-minded gesture and generous. Like all community projects, this one will take energy to sustain. I'm hopeful they can sustain it at least for a while.”
6. Anonymous said... on May 6, 2009 at 04:42PM
“lame. whatever, mr. flask will make the whole night worth it. I love you me and trex”
7. Andy said... on May 6, 2009 at 07:40PM
“Yes many of us live in fishtown. We are not originally from here, it is true, but I'm fairly certain that nobody has tried to claim that we are out to conquer fishtown or anything with a negative connotation. This is definitely a positive idea and there are a lot of people working hard to see that it is a cool spot for people to hang out at/show their work/play their music/screen their films, etc.
Thanks to all the support, and indeed, hopefully we can sustain it for at least a while”
8. Anonymous said... on May 6, 2009 at 09:53PM
“fishtown collective is everything that's good about being an artist of any kind in philadelphia into one collective. There's really nothing else like it around right now and it's really great to see a group of awesome people stepping it up and doing something with the resources and enthusiasm they have. It's really easy to talk about opening up a venue or a space and starting something almost like a movement, as a matter of fact a million people probably talk about it everyday, but here it's ACUALLY happening. this saturdays going to be the start of something great. It is a reflection of the times, it's time to come together, and i don't see anything economically offensive in a bunch of kids working their asses of in a fishtown warehouse to make something happen.”
9. eskimo joe said... on Jun 28, 2009 at 07:59AM
“Re: "... when the company vacated the loading dock." The company was on the loading dock with a lad of 20, who played in death metal bands for years. Say again?”