BUSHWICK — Local arts venue Silent Barn has raised thousands of dollars to cover expenses for more than a dozen artists-in-residence who lost their homes after a fire destroyed part of the property last week.
The blaze began on the third floor of the apartment portion of the building, located at 603 Bushwick Ave., on Friday night while a show was happening at the venue, according to Silent Barn and the FDNY.
Concert-goers managed to leave the building safely, but all the residents were displaced and the shows have been canceled "until further notice," meaning potentially tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue, the venue stated.
"We still have to pay rent on the building tomorrow," said Stephanie Griffin, a spokeswoman for Silent Barn.
The fire started at roughly 10:30 p.m., with about 60 firefighters responding to the scene, according to FDNY. It was brought under control about half an hour later, and the cause of the blaze is still under investigation, the FDNY said. The venue thinks an electrical malfunction may have caused it.
Donations will first go toward helping the 14 displaced residents recover personal losses, such as basic clothing, bedding and health items. The tenants are all part of an artist-in-residence program run by Silent Barn.
Additional funds will help recover lost revenue from shows that were set to take place in October. The venue is looking for $30,000 in donations immediately to be able to open in the next couple weeks.
As of Monday, the venue had already raised about $17,000, Griffin said.
Silent Barn, which is run largely by a network of 80 volunteers, opened about three years ago at the Bushwick location and has hosted hundreds of shows since.
It initially opened in Ridgewood in 2006, but the space was robbed and vandalized in 2011, forcing Silent Barn to close the space later that year, the venue said.
All the tenants in the Bushwick location were artists-in-residence at Silent Barn, and the venue is known for collaborating with community groups like rescue group A Tail of Two Kitties and youth dance group Educated Little Monsters.
In light of the trauma caused by the fire, people have been incredibly supportive of helping Silent Barn get back on its feet, Griffin said.
"All of our hearts are really broken right now because this is the thing we care about the most," she said. "But we’re also so supported and really finally seeing that it’s OK."
Stay updated on where shows will move or any fundraising events on Silent Barn's Facebook page.
