As of Thursday, Jan 28 all members and resident artists at Studio G, located in The Shops of Grand Avenue, have been given 30 days notice to move out entirely. This is so that the new owners of the mall can renovate the space for the purpose of advertising its availability for retail occupancy.
This will eliminate the working, performing and storage space of all the artists and arts organizations that currently reside in the space as of Feb. 25. This includes MPT, Stuart Johnson, Jeff Holub, Quasimondo Theatre, Max Samson, Michael Pettit and Emillio DeTorre. Some have already begun dismantling and moving out equipment into separate storage spaces. Additionally, Quasimondo has been making a new play to run in Studio G in March and is now without a theatre.
Pettit hopes the loss of Studio G can be a wake-up call that inspires people to realize that these corporate buy outs don't need to be the future of Milwaukee. He hopes to find people who will care and that can help to reorganize and rebuild the future of the Arts in Milwaukee.
If their lease is up, so what? I'm sure for the right price somebody else will lease them space. Maybe they should have signed a longer term lease at a higher rent.