Art Closet Studios granted a stay of execution … for now

First, the good news: Art Closet Studios, the all-ages space in the back room of the now shuttered Open Fire Wood Burning Pizza, will not be closing, according to Mike Moreno, one of the organizers of the space.

However, Art Closet’s status is just that it has been granted a stay of execution. The space that Art Closet Studios inhabits was originally an arts education space, donated by landlord and building owner Ahmed Awad, who owned Open Fire. After Awad closed the business, Moreno and several others took over the pizza joint and ran it, but eventually their “backs were against the wall” with taxes, rent and bills, and they chose to close the eatery.

Moreno says he and the rest of the Art Closet folks are “refocusing our energy to our original mission” and getting “back to where we started.” That means recommitting the space to showcases, classes, and artwork that’s not just gallery shows.

As to how long that will last? That’s where the stay of execution comes in. Awad is looking to sell the building, and Moreno has been busy explaining Art Closet and its intentions to future tenants, many of whom want to use Art Closet’s back-room space. He’s letting them know that the community has “a good thing going” in the space, and would like to continue their mission, while being open to the fact that they might have to figure out a rent situation sometime in the future.

Given that it’s not just punk shows going on in the back of 3951 Broadway — the space is also used by Big Brothers Big Sisters, among others — Moreno hopes that he can “get the community to rally” and make their voices heard. He also recognizes that a big part of what bring notice to Art Closet are the shows that happen in the back: “There’s no bullshit, just two speakers and some lights — it’s about the music, not boozing or partying.”

“It’s a space for voices to be heard, and we’re doing our damnedest to get things squared away,” Moreno says.