Our Story

Hi Everyone, my name is Ben Graham-Putter and I am one of the Co-Founders of BrickHaus Art Space, a Baltimore-based art center that is committed to fostering personal and professional artistic development through studio space, shared technical facilities, gallery space, and a forum for critique and lectures.

My friend Adam Farkas and I had just graduated from art school and were looking for studio spaces in the area, but were unable to find adequate facilities at a price we could afford. It was shortly after this realization that we decided that if we couldn't find such a space, we needed to make one. After a month or two of searching, we found an old storage warehouse in Baltimore City's Harwood neighborhood. With 15,000 square feet, plenty of windows, and a freight elevator that could fit a car, this space was exactly what we were looking for.

In March of 2011 we moved in and got to work. The project has taken a huge amount of personal energy, and has been the destination of every extra dollar either of us have earned. Between the two of us, we have put in over $35,000 and countless hours making BrickHaus what it is today, a growing community of artists working in one space, sharing ideas, and inspiring one another.

The Impact

We are currently struggling to keep the building warm for our artists, but the space heaters just aren't doing it. We managed to get 4 heating units to heat our spaces, and everything is ready to be hooked up. All we needed was gas service. We had budgeted for about $75 to restart our gas service (this is the figure we got from the website), but when we heard from our utility company that our existing service line was outdated, that number jumped to the $5,000 - $7,000 range! We have managed to do a lot with the money that we have, but this is outside of our ability to fund ourselves.

It is quite a testament to our resident artists that they have been working in their studios everyday despite the cold temperatures, but it is only getting colder and this winter will get very tough without our heat being turned on. I am concerned that without heat, we will be unable to work, and unable to make art, which will be a huge hit to our organization.

What We Need & What You Get

We are looking to raise $7,000 to install a new gas service to our building. The money will pay for digging up the road, and connecting our building to the main gas line. It will also pay for a gas meter (only about $75 worth of the overall cost). If we cannot reach our goal, the money we do raise will still go to this project and we will have to find another way (loans, selling stuff, working nights) to fund the remainder of the project.

Anyone who is able to donate to this project will get their name on our website in a special thanks section, and those who give over $30 will receive a logo t-shirt. The $250 giving level will also receive a personal thank you card from all of us here at BrickHaus. For donations larger than $1000 you will also get your name on a plaque in our gallery.

Other Ways You Can Help

Spread the word about our cause! Tweet us! Facebook us! We can't do this without your help and support, and if you can't personally give, maybe you know someone who can. Get the word out, and help BrickHaus stay Mighty!

Thank you!