By Amy Diaz
It is the only planet in the solar system that rotates clockwise.
It is the Roman goddess of love, sex, beauty and fertility.
And starting March 30, it will be the new headquarters for the St. Pete Women’s Collective and a coworking creative safe space for local artists, makers and entrepreneurs.
It is Venus.
The St. Pete Women’s Collective, founded in January 2017, is dedicated to empowering women and respectful allies through community and creativity.
Venus was the private nickname for the non-profit organization’s previous headquarters, and board secretary Mitzi Gordon says naming the new location, 244 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, was an obvious and unanimous decision.
“We liked the fluidity of that word, and I liked that it’s a destination,” Gordon said. “It’s a planet, it’s a whole other world you can go to, and that was really evocative to me. And of course, it has feminine connotations as well.”
Founder and president of the collective, Ashley Sweet, said the organization had been looking to expand from their previous headquarters, a small bungalow with a couple of resident artists, but money was a concern.
“Rent is getting more and more expensive in the city. We didn’t know where we were gonna go next,” Sweet said. “Were we going to become a satellite pop-up primarily existing online, or could we get another brick and mortar space?”
When a space became available on the 200 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N, also known as the Fringe District, the collective told landlord Pete Barlas about its plan for a community-centered safe space for people to network and collaborate.
Sweet said Barlas believed in their idea and set an affordable rent. They moved in in January.
“Being in a position to provide an affordable space for others is huge,” Sweet said. “It’s hard for an artist or small business owner to find a space to expand what they’re doing because of the way the rents are skyrocketing.”
The 1600-square-foot space has five studios and three common coworking areas: a lobby/gallery, a library/classroom and a kitchen/industrial area.
The studios have two tenants each, and a wide variety of artists and makers are already settling into the space.
The artsy furniture and decorations are a conglomeration of used pieces brought in by people who are a part of Venus.
“Every item in there is something that someone already had,” Gordon said. “Most of these pieces of furniture have been in someone’s living room already, so it gives the space a cozy feel.”
The space is complete with funky couches, a record player, work and art tables, communal art supplies, reference books, a library and a Keurig.
Gordon says the diversity of creative talent and resources makes the space an inspiring place to be in.
People can co-work at Venus for $10 a day or purchase a membership. Monthly memberships are $75, and three-month memberships are $200. Students receive a discounted price of $7 for a day and $60 for a monthly membership.
The membership offers access to the space Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, wifi, outlets, free parking, limited printer use, communal art supplies, coffee and a supportive community.
The collective envisions the space to be used for coworking, but also as a place for people to give workshops or present projects in a safe, judgment-free environment, and as a gallery for local artists.
Women aren’t the only ones allowed in –– the motto of the collective is “cool dudes are cool.”
“Regardless of gender, sex and orientation, any respectful person is welcome,” Sweet said. “But we are female-driven, and safety is one of the most important things for us. We want to honor that and provide a feminist framework for the space.”
The soft opening celebration and fundraiser is March 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. The collective will be there to welcome people and answer questions.
Live music, food and a cash donation bar from Green Bench Brewing Co will be available. There will also be opportunities to donate to Venus’s launch through its GoFundMe account, or by purchasing local art, or participating in a raffle.
“It’s a big step for us to really be able to open up and say ‘Hey, come to our space, we have space for you, we have things to share,’” Gordon said. “We feel like the barriers to connection have been removed.”
“It allows us to serve our mission on a greater level,” Sweet added.
