It's no longer a secret!

As you may have seen in the news, we broke ground on our new building in July and construction began a few weeks later.

We've faced escalating construction costs and numerous other challenges over the last several years. It's been difficult and frustrating for everyone involved. But we are certain that grassroots collectively-run organizations can implement large, complex projects and your support has been what's made it possible to get here.

We are building a facility specific to our programs and operations and that doubles the size of our gallery and performance space, allowing for larger and more ambitious exhibitions, and other public programs. Ultimately our new home will serve artists, musicians and performers at all stages of their careers; students, activists and others through our darkroom, silkscreen printshop and digital resources; and scholars, researchers and zine aficionados through our zine library, as well as a kitchen/conference room and other spaces for activist groups and mutual-aid organizations. Now more than ever, such spaces are crucial as we work to strengthen our communities.

Designed to meet the rigorous Passive House standard for energy efficiency, our building will be one of the greenest in Manhattan and significantly more efficient than the state energy code requires. (Hooray for a warm building in the winter and a substantially cooler one each summer!)

We know that times remain tough for many, but we hope we can count on your continued support as 2024 comes to a close. And, in anticipation of the coming year, to celebrate the start of construction, and to support our ongoing "in exile" programs, one of our regular donors is again offering to match the first $2,025 donations two for one. That means your gift of $50 will become $150, your gift of $100 will become $300, and your gift of $250 will become $750 - or higher.

As we start construction on our beloved 156 Rivington Street location, we've remained busy. We continue mounting exhibitions at collaborating venues as part of ABC No Rio in Exile. Most recently, "Weird Rings True: cartoon marginalia resurfaced from the ABC No Rio zine library" at Project Reach, "everything and all things red" and "Land Valuations" at 292 Gallery/Bullet Space, and "Transit Tales" at Umbrella House.

Our Printshop in Exile continues in Brooklyn and remains a skill-sharing resource used by artists, activists, bands and others for t-shirts, posters, patches, fine arts, and other projects.

The Zine Library in Exile is open to the public at the Clemente on Suffolk Street, just around the corner from our construction site. In addition to zine aficionados and zine makers, the library is a resource for students and scholars working in the fields of art and music history, sociology, ethnography, and political science.

Now that construction has begun and our new building is in sight, we need to gather our collectives, volunteers and supporters together to imagine a renewed ABC No Rio. After years in exile, it's time to get back together and make plans for the future. We invite you to join us! Please reach out if you'd like to plug in.

Earlier this summer, as we moved closer towards the reality of beginning construction, ABC No Rio's Board of Directors began discussing finding a successor for Director Steven Englander. The candidate chosen is Gavin Marcus, whose personal areas of interest and expertise align with ABC No Rio's programs and who has a demonstrated commitment to the collective processes that make us unique. Gavin will ease into the position over nine months or so and will be the one working with collective members to implement our programs and operations in the new building. Steven will continue to represent ABC No Rio in the construction of the new facility.

Like organizations across the globe, ABC No Rio faces a tough time in the post-pandemic world. But our DIY ethos means and our community of volunteers and active supporters, including you, who ensure that we can keep offering the programs, projects, performances and exhibitions for which we've become known and loved.

We hope that you'll be among the first to give and that we can count on your generous tax-deductible contribution to ABC No Rio as the year comes to a close. No gift is too small. Your support remains important to us. And remember, if you give now, your donation will be tripled, and if your employer has a matching gift program, your own contribution can be doubled.

Or you can donate by way of PayPal by clicking the below button.

P.S.: Donate $100 or more to receive an 8x10 digital C-Print of Margarida Correia's photograph of the Sane Smith graffiti in ABC No Rio's rear yard. Uneditioned with the photgrapher's stamp. (http://abcnorio.org/sane)

Gifts by check or money order should be made payable to ABC No Rio and sent to our ABC No Rio in Exile address:

ABC No Rio
107 Suffolk Street, #305
New York, NY 10002

From all of us at ABC No Rio: We wish you all the best as the year comes to a close!

ABC No Rio is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions to ABC No Rio are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Consult your tax advisor with any tax-related queries.