"In actuality," says Rotzel, "it’s really difficult to run a venue the way we were. It’s a lot of time and effort for an all-volunteer staff." In the months before it was closed, the Berwick, which is funded by the private, culture/arts-supporting LEF Foundation and other private donors, drew a growing audience to its concerts and art events, but the staff was getting tired. The mandatory pause in activities has given it a new sense of purpose and a renewed commitment to the Berwick. What happened, Rotzel admits, "wasn’t a blessing, because I really miss seeing an audience consistently — and it was growing — but there’s definitely a silver lining propelling us into a future that has made us think about the fundamentals of why we started the space."

And those fundamentals involve being a space that supports artists whose work exists outside the commercial economy, providing those artists with a venue, the means of support (a stipend and time), a sense of community, and a critical audience. Rotzel explains that the projects the Berwick supported — a non-commercial low-watt radio station, experimental composition, a robot — cannot be sold. "We want to support artists who aren’t finding the money, time, and community to get what they want done."

The Berwick provides this support with its artist-in-research (AIR) program, which has continued to operate in a low-profile way during the regrouping. Residency applications are being accepted through January, and the new AIR artists will be announced the first week of April. Each residency lasts two months, and the Berwick hosts five per year. The current artist-in-research is Christy Georg, whose work examines "the occurrence of the elusive ‘present’ moment" using sound, performance, sculpture, and video. Rotzel says that the AIR fills a void in the Boston arts scene. "The Gardner Museum has a residence, but it’s for blue-chip artists. There are no urban places for people to do the kind of work we support." As a result, the Berwick is getting a lot of interest from both local and international artists.

It’s also looking to increase its involvement in the community. ACT Roxbury, an organization that seeks to enhance and revitalize Dudley Square’s economic, physical, and social surroundings through art and culture, is creating what Rotzel calls "an arts non-profit incubator building" in the former Hibernia Hall at 184 Dudley Street, and the Berwick hopes to collaborate on that. "I’m really excited about Hibernia Hall. It’ll allow a lot of non-profits to work together and share resources. We’ll be able to support our artists even more."

What the Berwick doesn’t plan on continuing is its rock shows. These events have included performances by Lovewhip, Neptune, Deerhoof, and Manifesto Jukebox. Rotzel cites the licensing restrictions as well as the time commitment that booking shows demanded. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be presenting multimedia events. "Rock shows, artwork, dance, performance, and general merrymaking and enjoyment of the world should all go hand in hand. So much art is sectioned off into separate corners, and they don’t get to have a good time together. Or at least, that’s the way it seems in this town." At the Berwick, on the other hand, she wants "all the mediums all the time to always be working together."

For further information about the Berwick Research Institute, visit www.berwickinstitute.org. To find out more about applying for or helping to support the residency program, e-mail Meg Rotzel at meg@berwickinstitute.org

WHEREAS THE BERWICK HAS REVIVED, the Allston Cinema, a local bastion of underground, cult, kung fu, and Bollywood films, is going away for good. Staples, the Framingham-based office-supply behemoth, has bought the Allston Cinema building, which is flanked by Dunkin’ Donuts next door and TJ Maxx down the block, with plans to tear it down and open a 14,000-square-foot Staples store; construction is scheduled to start in March, according to the Allston’s manager, Garo Nigoghossian. "It’s going to make the street look like a strip mall." A spokesperson for Staples confirmed the sale and construction plans.

The most recent casualty of the Allston Cinema’s screening history was Allston Cinema Underground, which was run by the Coolidge Corner’s Clinton McClung. After showing all manner of independent and underground films, from a series of rock-and-roll movies to antique French porn, the Underground folded last month because of the rising costs of running the theater and diminishing returns.

The Allston opened in the ’70s, and for many years it was owned by Showcase Cinemas and used for Cleveland Circle Cinema castoffs. In September of last year, it became home to Allston Bombay Cinema 2, which screens first-run Bollywood films as well as "Kung-Fu Mania Ass Kicking Wednesdays," which Nigoghossian runs. The next string of classic kung fu flicks comprises Peacock King on December 3, Robotrix on December 10, and Devil Fetus on December 17. And Nigoghossian plans to continue showing films until the place is torn down, at the very least until February. After that, he’ll transplant his ass kickings to occasional weekend-midnight screenings at the Coolidge.
"That’s just how it goes," he laments. "When big business steps in, anything cool has to step aside."

The Allston Cinema is located at 214 Harvard Avenue, in Allston. For further information, call (617) 912-8626, or visit www.allstoncinema.org

Issue Date: November 21 - 27, 2003

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