JF: We've always been a small team. Before us, the space was stewarded by New City Theater. When we changed hands and formed 18th & Union, David Gasner was executive director, and then Peggy Gannon, and now Jasmine Lomax. When David started, it was all artists who volunteered. When we switched over to being paid staff, we were still comprised of working artists. Even now with our current staff, it's challenging for all of us to get into the same room because of our crazy schedules.
When we finally met, we spent 6 hours debriefing the issues we’ve heard and observed in the arts community. The remaining effects of the pandemic have resulted in an ever-changing landscape of the Seattle arts and our needs. It's been bubbling up. Now, as we witness so many of our smaller and larger venues are being lost, it really spurred us on to be like, okay, let's do something about it!
SJG: What were some of Seattle’s artist's needs you noticed being underserved?
JF: Financial. Artists have the time and money, cost of production to factor in as they’re trying to navigate paying their own rent and working their own day jobs. Physical too, we're trying to create a more accessible space in general so that we can welcome all types. Artists also need a place to make mistakes. We want to work with emerging artists, we want them to make their big mistakes with us, so that when they outgrow our space, and they go to a bigger venue, they're making better mistakes. Kind of like a playground where you can fall off, but we've got a bandaid for you.
SJG: What are we going to miss from this remodel?
JF: Ooh, I don't think you're gonna miss too much. I think it's scary when things change, but we’re just building upon what this space has been, even before 18th & Union. There are little pieces throughout the space where you can see the history; I can give you a small amount of information that I'm going to be putting on Instagram later. So, this can be, like, very exclusive.
[My eyebrows peaked.]
JF: When we started boxing things up, we found a little message from 2008 when the space was called the Shoe Box, and it's very sweet and endearing. The message said how they “hoped that the space would one day have decorations, and a mirror, and better hot water.”
Those stewards left us their hopes and dreams, and all that is still here. So there won't be too much to miss. We're still gonna have 49 seats. It's still gonna be a black box. It's gonna hopefully serve our artists and our audiences better.
SJG: But so the bathroom situation, is there construction planned to make them ADA?
JF: That is like one of the driving forces of all these physical changes, we took a hard look at what the limitations of the physical space was and how to create an accessible space. When our current Executive Director Jasmine Lomax came on board, their primary goal was raising the funds to create an ADA-accessible bathroom, because that's just like, should be in all spaces, right?
SJG: Yeah totally.
JF: Older buildings. You have to work with your landlords, and there's all this zoning, and they create all this red tape. And so we've really been powering through all that.
SJG: Amazing. Okay, so in one of your Instagram previews, there was an undertaking which I never expected…the removal of all of the posters. Can we now find those 5 or 6 Woody Shticks ads at Goodwill, and if so which one?
JF: You know, we're not throwing them away. We want to make sure that we're keeping all of the things that made this space really true to itself. So the posters are lovingly protected right now in a very like air-tight box.
SJG: What about the rat that lives there? What was his name? Is he still around? Is he okay?
JF: Miguel! And I want to clear the record. There is no harm done, he’s okay, but Miguel is being pushed to a new place, gently and humanely.
SJG: Okay, what does that mean?
JF: I am not in charge of facilities, but I was assured that he will not die. He will just be rehomed.
[A brief moment of prayer was offered for Miguel, the beloved rat of 18th & Union. May he thrive in his next home, and if you find him, tell him we loved how fat he got.]
SJG: Is there anything about the remodel that might be shocking?
JF: Yeah, I think a lot of it will be shocking. I think what's really exciting about the staff, about Jasmine, and about our board, is that we asked artists to take creative risks with us. We try to container where they feel like they can take creative risks with us through our CO pro model, and we've decided to, kind of like, eat our own words. We're like, Okay, if we're asking everyone to take creative risks, why don't we? Right? Feels a bit like jumping off a cliff, okay, but I think the splash will be great.
SJG: So you already have a season partially lined up for 2025, do any of those artists know more details about the remodel?
JF: They know as much as they *need* to know, but that’s it!
SJG: How vague, as promised, thank you!
JF: Our values are really, really the same, and we're just hoping that we can provide more to the artists that are coming in and having co-pros with us. We want to be digitally accessible, but you have the space to your own. I always want us to be like, the cool cousins, you know? We're not in charge of you, but we can give you as much help as you need.
SJG: Yeah, okay, so the cool cousin that you see on Thanksgiving, you take us for a discreet smoke and walk outside, like, that's the vibe of 18th & Union? Support, relationship, independence?
JF: Yup exactly—and this model has produced some incredible alumni. You look at Woody Shticks, Sara Porkalob, Pearl Lamb, Low Brow Opera. We are here to make artists really successful, yeah?
SJG: Well done, I know we all very much appreciate what the space means for all of us. One last question before I let you go: Anything else about the remodel you’re able to spill?
JF: The exciting thing is that all will be revealed in 2025 but if you want to be a part of the reveal, the way to do that is coming very, very soon. So get on our newsletter, and that's all I can say.
