Art
Local Art Space
Seeks Help
BY ANGELA MATUA
AMATUA@QNS.COM
The Chocolate Factory The-ater,
a performing arts space
in Long Island City, solved
its space woes in 2017 af-ter
purchasing a one-story
building to house its programs and
performances.
But the nonprofit organization
needs $25,000 to turn the new
7,500-square-foot building at 38-29
24th St. into “a safe, functional, unique
and permanent space” and has created
a Kickstarter to raise the funds. The
Chocolate Factory Theater has been
operating since 2005, but rising rents
in the neighborhood led the founders
to conclude that by 2019, it would
have to permanently close when the
lease ended.
Co-founded by Sheila Lewandowski
and Brian Rogers, who have lived in
Long Island City for more than 20
years, the organization provides sala-ried
residences and access to space
and equipment to performance artists.
Currently, it operates out of a building
at 5-49 49th Ave.
The duo took steps to garner gov-ernment
and community support so
that the organization could thrive be-yond
2019. With the help of Council-man
Jimmy Van Bramer, Queens Bor-ough
President Melinda Katz, former
Queens Borough President Helen
Marshall, the Department of Cultural
Affairs and the Economic Development
Corporation, The Chocolate Factory
secured a $3.8 million grant to move
into the new space.
Lewandowski said the organization
is doing minimal work so that artists
can have rehearsals and workshops
while they make “bigger plans for the
larger and more permanent public
performance space.”
The building will be renovated
to include necessary building code
improvements; electrical, plumbing,
fire safety and HVAC upgrades; rest-rooms;
38 FEBRUARY 2018 I LIC COURIER I www.qns.com
and the installation of a per-formance
floor. These improvements
will cost $1.2 million and Assembly-woman
Catherine Nolan has pledged
$350,000 toward the upgrades.
So far, 97 people have donated
$8,990 and the deadline to fully fund
the goal is Feb. 28. If the money is not
raised by the deadline, the donations
will be given back. Lewandowski said
she feels “really good” about how much
money they’ve been able to raise in
six days.
“In the first few days we got up to
30 percent of what we’re looking for,”
she said. “This is mostly from artists so
there’s nothing that means as much to
us as when an artist contributes to us.”
Supporters will receive a number of
gifts depending on how much money
they pledge. For $10, a supporter’s
name will be included on the theater’s
website. Those who donate $50 will be
invited to a toast for the new theater
on March 3 and all people who donate
will have their names listed on a hand
drawn poster, which will be hung in
the new space.
Other prizes include a T-shirt, private
movie screening and a garden party
at Lewandowski’s Long Island City
home with catering.
Though the organization would like
to move into the new space by the time
their current lease ends, Lewandowski
said that a construction accident in-volving
their neighbor will push the
date back.
“We hope to be able to get in there
on time for this lease end but it’s not
looking likely,” she said.
In addition to providing residen-cies
and programs for artists, the or-ganization
helps run the annual LIC
Halloween Parade, the Taste of LIC,
planting trees in the are and working
with local Girl Scouts troops.
“We’re building this so that it out-lives
me and Brian and all of us and it
will be a permanent service to Queens,”
she said. “It belongs to Queens. We
do hope that people invest in that.”
Photo courtesy of Chocolate Factory Theater
We’re building this so
that it outlives me and
Brian and all of us and
it will be a permanent
service to Queens.
SHEILA LEWANDOWSKI
Founder
