This Sunday, Conspire will die ... but only for a few hours while its collective crew gives the place a much-needed paint job and symbolically changes the locks.
Founding member Joey G. says he hopes the "funeral" will help get rid of the place's "stifling negative energy." (He later explains the place has serious problems with homeless people, vandalism, and "a lack of creative spirit.")
"The place has really been suffering for the past couple weeks," he says. "There's been a lot of drama and we feel like the place has really run its course ... It's become a feeble old person that just needs to die."
For the afternoon, that is.
Joey G. says he hopes the "death" will help weed out freeriders who camp
out (literally) in Conspire's front lawn and back
patio/stage/freestore/library/yardsale/community area and encourage
people who still view the place as a creative platform to re-envision a
new platform.
Currently, the co-op charges a monthly rental fee (or a percentage of sales) for consignment and operates a tea and smoothie shop/community kitchen, which founders say they were surprised to see people "just used to cook in and not contribute to the greater cause."
"Turns out my anarchist tactics of running the place aren't going too well," says Joey G. "But I think if the right amount of real creative people who can work together and inspire one another come together ... we can get back on track."
While Conspire has yet to set an official time of death (and rebirth) on Sunday, we were told it would be in the afternoon-ish.
Conspire is at 901 N 5th St in Phoenix. For more information, check out the Conspire Facebook page.
