Consolidated Works is a "multi-disciplinary contemporary arts center" located in a former warehouse in the Cascade neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA. It incorporates an art gallery, a theater, a cinema, and a music/dance/lecture hall, as well as studio spaces for artists and a bar and lounge. Cascade is a small neighborhood abutting Downtown Seattle. ... Neighbourhood is also a term in topology. ... Downtown Seattle skyline City nickname: The Emerald City Location Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Government County King Mayor Greg Nickels NP/Democrat ¹ Physical characteristics Area      Land      Water 369. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Other U.S. States Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Official languages None Area 184,824 km² (18th)  - Land 172,587 km²  - Water 12,237 km² (6. ... An art gallery or art museum is a space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art, and usually primarily paintings and sculpture. ... For other usages see Theatre (disambiguation) Theater (American English) or Theatre (British English and widespread usage among theatre professionals in the US) is that branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle — indeed... Wikibooks Wikiversity has more about this subject: School of Music Look up Music on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikisource, as part of the 1911 Encyclopedia Wikiproject, has original text related to this article: Music Wikicities has a wiki about Music: Music MusicNovatory: the science of music encyclopedia Science of Music... A contemporary dancer rehearsing in a dance studio Dance (from Old French dance, further history unknown) generally refers to human movement either used as a form of expression (see also body language) or presented in a social, spiritual or performance setting. ... A lecture on linear algebra at the Helsinki University of Technology A lecture is a presentation on a particular subject given in order to teach people about that subject, for example by a university or college teacher. ...

The center was founded in 1997 by Matthew Richter. Richter had previously worked at Seattle's alternative newspaper, The Stranger, as theatre editor. Funding came from grants, donations, and corporate sponsorship, and The Stranger also agreed to provide advertising for events at ConWorks in exchange for storage space at its warehouse. Richter became the center's Executive Director, with Shiffler becoming Director of Visual Art until 2003. 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Stranger is a weekly newspaper in Seattle, Washington. ... 2003(MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The center opened in 1999, working from temporary premises on Terry Avenue for three years. ConWorks' renovated facility at 500 Boren Avenue North opened on 13 September 2002. The refit of the 35,000 ft² warehouse, built in 1948, cost almost half a million dollars. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 2002(MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Consolidated Works' aim is to give all the artforms equal billing - to be "neither a theater with art in the lobby nor a gallery with a stage in back; it is neither a cinema that plays music nor a music hall that shows films" [1]. To this end, its presentations have offered both high profile artists like Andy Warhol alongside emerging talent, primarily from the Pacific Northwest. This policy of encouraging young creative professionals also includes an Artist-in-Residence program. Image:Andy warhol. ... Darker red states are always part of the Pacific Northwest. ...

As well as mounting its own productions and exhibitions, the center also hosts touring events - and critics have voiced the opinion that it is these shows that are most successful: e.g. the Curiously Strong contemporary art program (sponsored by Altoids) and the popular 14/48 theater show (where 14 short plays are written and produced in 48 hours, begun in 1997). However, Richter's vision was one of experimentalism, and he argued that "if the quality of the programming was always of a strong finished caliber, then we weren't doing our job right" [2]. Altoids Wintergreen Altoids are a popular brand of breath mints that have been in existence since the turn of the 19th century. ... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Re-structuring of 2005

On 8 February 2005, the board of Consolidated Works dismissed Matthew Richter, the co-founder and Executive Director. The president of the board, Robb Krieg, did not publicly reveal the reasons for the firing, although Richter believed it surrounded "relationship skills and leadership skills" [3]. The move followed a number of resignations from the center under Richter's leadership. February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Richter's dismissal caused consternation in the Seattle arts community. A 36-signature petition was presented to the board, signed by senior figures in other local institutions [4], and all of ConWorks' creative staff resigned.

In September of 2005 the board announced that Corey Pearlstein, a producer with a performing arts background had been named to the position. [5] At the time of this writing, the company is preparing to open a major world premiere by internationally known kinetic sculptor Trimpin.

References

1. Official site
2. 'Explanations differ in firing at ConWorks', The Seattle Times, 10 March 2005
3. ibid.
4. 'Arts community rallies for Richter', Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 16 February 2005

External link

• Official site