Arts & Culture

Video: Bell Foundry Tenants React to Eviction

Dozens of local artists evicted from the community space due to city's claim of "unsafe" living conditions.

On Monday, dozens of local artists were evicted from Bell Foundry—a community arts space in Station North that is home to theater, gallery space, and recording studios. The city sent in fire marshals to condemn and board up the building, concluding that there were “numerous safety violations as well as deplorable conditions.”

Though the announcement came just days after a fire in Oakland, California warehouse arts space that killed nearly 40 people, the city says the eviction is not related. Inspectors cite four building violations: no valid permit, unsafe conditions, use of flammables and combustibles, and unlawful removal of beams from the ceiling.

Still, residents of the Bell Foundry found themselves displaced earlier this week and we interviewed artists Qué Pequeño, Ava Pipitone, and Person Abide to hear about their experience and where they go from here.