Bad Girrls Studios facts for kids

Bad Girrls Studios was a cool art gallery and performance space in Boston, Massachusetts. It was open from 1994 to 2006. This special place was started by Jessica Brand, who was a student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. It was run by artists, for artists, and hosted many fun art shows and community events. Bad Girrls Studios had a motto: "Art is Not A Luxury," meaning art is important for everyone, not just a fancy extra.

Supporting Artists and Community

Bad Girrls Studios was known for supporting female artists. They helped many women artists show their work and perform.

Exciting Events and Shows

The studio hosted many interesting events.

• In 1999, they worked with Eventworks to bring Karen Finley, a famous American performance artist, to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
• One popular event was "Naughty Girrls Nite @ Bad Girrls Studios." This show was put together by Rebecca Goldberg, a studio member. It brought together over 50 women artists and performers from New York and New England.
• Another big event was the "Post-Apocalyptic Carnival." This was an art show where the audience could walk through and experience an imaginary future world after a big event. It showed art, culture, and even food from this made-up future.

Art School Cheerleaders

Some artists from Bad Girrls Studios were also part of a group called the Art School Cheerleaders. This group started at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. They used cheerleading performances to make funny comments about the art world. They also used their performances to ask for more money to support the arts.

Learning and Connecting Through Art

Bad Girrls Studios was not just about showing art; it was also a place for learning and talking about art.

Workshops and Discussions

The studio held workshops and community meetings to discuss different art topics.

• Jessica Brand was inspired by a project called "Co-Generate Project" (1999-2000) from the National Association of Artists' Organizations. This project helped young art professionals learn and grow.
• Because of this, Bad Girrls Studios hosted a meeting for young artists and organizers in Boston. These artists worked in dance, writing, theater, music, and visual art. They talked about how art connects to important social issues, how to help artists get noticed, and what the future of art might look like.

Art for Young People

In 1999, Bad Girrls Studios also opened its doors to local young people in Boston. They created an after-school art center where children could come and enjoy drawing and painting. This helped young kids explore their creativity.

Inspirations and Connections

Jessica Brand was inspired to start Bad Girrls Studios by her aunt, Alida Walsh. Alida Walsh was an artist, teacher, and activist in New York City. She worked with film, sculpture, and other art forms in the 1960s and 1970s.

Bad Girrls Studios was also influenced by another important performance art space in Boston called Mobius Artists Group. Mobius brought amazing performance artists from all over the world to Boston. Mobius was also started by someone from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, an instructor named Marilyn Arsem.

Artists and Musicians at the Studio

Many talented artists and musicians showed their work or performed at Bad Girrls Studios.

Visual and Performance Artists

Some of the notable artists who were part of the studio or showed their work included:

• Justin Lieberman
• Dana Moser
• Jeff Warmouth
• Yoriko Shiraishi
• Joan Pamboukes
• Sister Spit
• Jake the Puppet Master
• Duncan Wilder Johnson
• Dame Darcey
• The Cha Cha Cabaret

Musical Performances

Bad Girrls Studios welcomed many local and touring musicians. They played all kinds of music, like jazz, opera, rock, blue-grass, punk, and more. Some of the musicians who performed there were:

• Saturnalia String Trio
• Daniel Carter
• Nmperign
• Miracle Orchestra
• Mamashoe
• Babaloo
• Marc Chillemi
• Jossie Perez
• Kaffe Mathews
• Bonfire Madigan
• Jessica Ryan
• Mr. Airplane Man
• Lars Vegas
• Lightning Bolt

Other Art Places in Jamaica Plain

During the 1990s, the Jamaica Plain neighborhood in Boston had many other cool art places. These included:

• The Jamaica Plain Firehouse Arts Center
• The Footlight Club
• The Elliot School of Fire & Applied Arts
• The Boston Photo Collaborative
• Spontaneous Celebrations
• Jamaica Plain Arts Council
• Green Street Gallery