BK venues are hosting fundraisers for the Oakland fire victims

A huge fire consumed Oakland's Ghost Ship over the weekend, leaving more than 30 dead. Via Flickr user Julianna Brown. — A huge fire consumed Oakland’s Ghost Ship over the weekend, leaving more than 30 dead. Via Flickr user Julianna Brown.

Oakland’s artistic community, and by extension every DIY arts community around the country, is reeling after a fire consumed a beloved arts space over the weekend, killing more than 30 people in one of the nation’s deadliest building fires in the past 50 years. In an already widely circulated piece, KQED writer Gabe Meline warns that “it could have been any one of us,” the “us” there being any of us who regularly hang out in DIY, quasi-legal and makeshift art spaces that hang on to the fringes of otherwise oppressively expensive cities.

It’s not hard to see the parallels between Ghost Ship and the DIY spaces in Brooklyn, which both exist as a haven for fringe, under-represented and emerging artists that have been increasingly pushed to the edges of unaffordable cities. Thankfully, NYC’s spaces have been free of tragedy on this scale but are constantly facing troubles with regulators, neighbors, real estate and Vice. So NYC’s arts community is already stepping up with some fundraisers for the victims; find out how you can help below:

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Brooklyn Loves Oakland
House of Yes
Thursday, 11pm-4am

Bushwick’s home of alt circus events and outlandish performances is no stranger to the effects of a fire: a blaze destroyed part of its original location in 2008. To help Oakland, it’s hosting a Thursday night party with two rooms of DJS, aerial spectacles and performance art dancers, plus beauty stations and more surprises. 100 percent of the door donations will go directly to the victims and families fund. If you want to get involved, contact: [email protected]. It’s free, but donations will be taken at the door.

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Oakland Fire Relief Fundraiser
Sisters, 900 Fulton St., Clinton Hill
Wednesday, 5pm-2am

Sisters is throwing a night of music and dancing with several DJs and hosts, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the victims fund. Recommended donation: $5-$50.

If you just want to donate:

A crowdfunding campaign is aiming to raise $350,000 for victims and their families. You can donate here.

Resources:

Brooklyn is full of converted warehouse art/studio/living spaces similar to Ghost Ship. Here’s a guide to fire safety in converted industrial spaces.

If we missed other NYC fundraisers on this list, email tim[at]brokelyn.com and let us know.