San Francisco Arts Space Holds Last Hurrah

The graffiti-covered warehouse in San Francisco’s Mission District weathered many economic storms since it was converted into an art hub nearly two decades ago. For most of those years, it was named Cell Space — a scrappy mix of artist studios overlooking a grand industrial performance space.

The underground arts space drew everyone from ravers, to Tango dancers to hula hoopers to Aztec dancers who held weekly gatherings. The walls of the art gallery were always covered with paintings and other creations. Organizers of the space were constantly scraping up money to keep the place alive.

Six years ago, Mike Gaines and the Vau de Vire Society circus performance troupe took over the lease and set-about getting permits to turn the space into a legitimate performance venue, renaming the building “Inner Mission”. Gaines said he spent thousands of dollars securing permits.

“Put together this plan,” said Gaines, “and in four-and-a-half years got all of our permits to open as a legitimate venue.”

But before Gaines could realize his dream - the building sold to a developer. Following an eviction notice, Gaines and his troupe have two months to make way for the wrecking ball.

“Literally what happens is it gets bulldozed and condo complex,” said Gaines.

Plans on file with San Francisco’s Planning Department show developers intend to level most of the block on Bryant Street, and replace it with 274 condos. ACT Theater’s prop shop will also be one of the causalities. The final project still requires final approval from the city, but Gaines has already accepted the building’s fate. And like other artists displaced by San Francisco’s economic boom, he’s finding it difficult to find another space he can afford.

“We may not be in San Francisco,” said Gaines glancing around the space, “and that is a difficult thing to digest.”

But rather than simply pack up and split, the Vau de Vire Society is staging a run of weekend dinner theater shows called Soiled Dove, which is a raucous tribute to the wild times of the city’s Barbary Coast. As patrons dine around the space, performers swing from the ceiling on rings, mock-prostitutes gyrate from an upper floor and a band blasts rowdy jazz music from a second-floor alcove.

“Crazy times that we’re paying homage to,” said Gaines. “The violence the brothels, the gambling.”

It seems a fitting sendoff to a building that has seen its own turbulent times.

“The place got a lot of character when they built it out,” said Vau de Vire’s Mad Dog Madigan, “there’s no other place that has this plus the history and that’s a pretty interesting combo.”

Once the show’s run is over, the troupe will pack its things and move on. But until that day, the building will remain alive with the unpredictable mix of arts that has defined its life as an arts space.

“I’m actually glad we’re going out with a bang,” said Vau de Vire performer Natalie Rhae, “instead of quietly shuffling our feet and kicking it to the curb.”

The show runs this weekend and next and cost a $120 a ticket.

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