Page 42 - the NOISE May 2015

AS SPRING SNAPS TO LIFE
the hive ColleCtive BeCkons
above, FRoM LeFT:
Dutch Holly performs at the Hive Collective. PHoTo bY TReS IKNeR acoustic guitar in the heart of the Hive. CoURTeSY PHoTo.
stoRy By anGie Johnson sChmit
some great ideas seem to take a tremendous amount of effort, with lots of challenges and obstacles to be overcome. In the case of Prescott’s newest arts ‘n culture venue, the Hive Collective (Hive), all it took was a new twist on an old idea and a really cool backyard.
The idea of community space available for the public to gather is by no means novel. There are a number of public parks in town, not to mention the ever-popular Courthouse Plaza. But, opening up your backyard to the public is far less common. The Hive Collective has done ex- actly that, inviting people to use their backyard for everything from live music shows to car repair workshops.
In late 2014, housemates Sasha Timpson and Mary Kate Sperduto came up with the basic concept for the Hive while talking about what to do with their largely unused backyard area. There are two houses on the property, with the backyard occupying the space between the two. The tenants in both homes are to be Prescott College students and fellow travelers who are all on board with the project.
Ms. Timpson and Ms. sperduto have a deep love of Prescott’s diverse community and were interested in ways they could bring those different groups of people together. As they ex- plored the possibilities, they extended the conversation to friends and fellow tenants, discover- ing that others shared their interest. It was a natural flow from those talks to the creation of The Hive Collective.
Fortunately, the property owner has been supportive and has allowed the Hive to continue hosting events using the backyard as an outdoor venue. since its inception, the community space has served as a dynamic, multi-use venue, featuring daytime and nighttime events that range from fundraisers to musical showcases.
The notion of community space run by and for members of the community has so far proven far more successful than any of the Hive members had imagined. The response has been posi- tive and, perhaps even more remarkably, self-sustaining. There is no fee to use the space, and no admission charged for any event.
while the group recently launched a GoFundMe crowd-funding campaign to raise monies for an emergency fund and to provide supplies for events, they have been surprised at how often the community has simply offered help when needed.
“Tres Ikner (of Dutch Holly), came by and played and then he just said, ‘I’m gonna make you a logo ... you need a logo,’” said Ms. Timpson. “That happens all the time,” agreed Ms. sperduto. The Hive has kept the space free and open to the public from the beginning, although “passing the hat” or collecting donations is allowed.
It is a casual and unstructured set-up, founded on the basic principles of mutual respect, consideration and hospitality. The Hive has no pretentions of becoming a gallery or a formal events space, choosing instead to focus on simply maintaining a space available for members of the community to gather together and enjoy good art, music, and other events designed to encourage personal interaction.
when asked how they handle issues like parking and noise, it was generally agreed that basic respect and consideration has kept their relations with neighbors on good footing. “we keep thevolumedownandallmusicshowsareoverby11PM,”saidMs.Timpson. “Right,”agreedMs. sperduto. “And so far we haven’t really had any problems with the neighbors or with people getting out of control.” The members of the Hive take these concerns seriously, and have post- ed the basic ground rules of expected behavior near the entrance to the space.
One of the dynamics still in flux is how to balance living space with a public community space. “There’s this interesting balance that we’re all trying to find,” said Ms. sperduto. she noted that while they would like to have the space open and available for anyone to drop by, there is a curfew for the space and the people living in the homes on the property still need their boundaries respected.
They are quite ambitious in expanding the usage of the space and have been actively reach- ing out to various groups in the community. In particular, they have been talking with the sober living community and working to develop events and activities geared specifically. They hope the Hive will serve as an intentional space where people of multiple cultures, genders and ages can mingle comfortably.
Madeline Connelly, a tenant and Hive cohort, seems committed to this notion of inclusive- ness. she noted that there aren’t many places available for people to socialize that aren’t busi- nesses. Ms. sperduto agreed, noting that, “so much of social interaction has become commod- itized, and that was something we wanted to change with the Hive.” The consensus is that the Hive provides a free alternative to the bar scene for a lot of people.
A significant part of their vision is to provide a workshop venue where, in addition to arts events and fundraisers, non-professionals can share skills and knowledge on a wide variety of topics. The most recent example is the “Get to Know your Car” workshop, where participants were taught the basics of how to change the oil and how to change a flat tire. Another work- shop taught participants how to make their own mead, an alcoholic beverage consisting of fermented honey, water and spices.
The Hive Collective has grown organically and continues to develop as more of an experi- ment than a permanent venue. “we’ve definitely been talking a lot about sustainability,” said Ms. Timpson. Both Ms. Timpson and Ms. sperduto will be leaving Prescott in the coming months, but they have already developed plans for the Hive to continue without them.
while there are definite challenges working as part of a collective, the founders have devel- oped such a strong sense of shared ownership that other members feel capable of running the space. Ms. Timpson and Ms. sperduto have met the new tenants and have been able to discuss the Hive Collective space with them. Other residents on the property have already been in- volved and are committed to keeping the experiment alive. Ms. Connelly has no plans to move and will be able to help bridge as the Hive transitions.
whether or not the Hive Collective is around for the long haul remains to be seen. In the meantime, it’s definitely a place worth checking out. It’s an intimate venue for several of Prescott’s best musicians and artists. The founders also envisioned the space with fundraisers in mind. Although this is not a great option for ticketed events, it is a lovely outdoor venue for less formal fundraisers that rely on donations rather than admission fees. Frankly, a free venue like this is an absolute godsend for artists and musicians and community members seeking to do a small, intimate event.
even as Ms. Timpson and Ms. sperduto prepare to head off to new adventures, they con- tinue to dream big for the Hive Collective. “I would love to see more community spaces across Prescott,” said Ms. Timpson. “I don’t know, maybe we’re being idealistic or something,” said Ms. sperduto, “But that would be amazing.”
yes, that is probably incredibly idealistic. But, considering the response and the rapid rise in popularity of the Hive Collective, it seems that the community is more than willing to support this venture.
In keeping with the super casual vibe, The Hive Collective can be found primarily on Face- book. To keep up with the events, workshops and shindigs at the Hive Collective, follow them on Facebook. To book an event or workshop, just send them a Facebook message and they will work with you to schedule.
| angie Johnson schmit knows her art spaces. angie@thenoise.us
42 • MAY 2015 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us