# Collective:Unconscious

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**Collective:Unconscious** is a non-profit ([501(c)(3)](/source/501(c)(3))) corporation, founded in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) in 1993, and incorporated in 1995.[1] Originally based on Avenue B in [Alphabet City](/source/Alphabet_City), it moved to 145 [Ludlow Street](/source/Ludlow_Street) on [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan)'s [Lower East Side](/source/Lower_East_Side); in 2004 it relocated to [Tribeca](/source/Tribeca) until July 2008.

Collective:Unconscious has had a notable effect on New York City's downtown culture, society, and entertainment, and has been recognized in the way of financial support by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council,[2] the New York Department of Cultural Affairs,[3] partial support from a 2001 [Absolut](/source/Absolut) Angel grant for art and technology,[4] and a formal permanent position in the [New York University](/source/New_York_University) [Elmer Holmes Bobst Library](/source/Elmer_Holmes_Bobst_Library) special [Fales Library](/source/Fales_Library) Downtown Collection.

A nearby performance art space in the [East Village](/source/East_Village,_Manhattan) was known as Gargoyle Mechanique (Laboratory), Collective: Unconscious, and Unconscious Collective, and while some overlap between these organizations exists, they have no official affiliation with Collective:Unconscious or Collective:Unconscious Corporation.[5]

## History

Collective: Unconscious started when a group of performance and visual artists took over the lease at 28 Avenue B from the performance group [Gargoyle Mechanique Laboratory](/source/Gargoyle_Mechanique_Laboratory) in 1991. Miklos Legrady, Caterina Bartha, Patrick Daniels, Jamie Mereness, Mark Sonderskov, Bob Berger and Dan Green formed the original Board of Directors. The logo was created by remaining Gargoyle-era resident Legrady, while the performance philosophy behind the group came from new residents Green, Berger, Sonderskov, and Daniels, as well as Mereness, who lived in the [West Village](/source/West_Village).

The space consisted of a storefront theatre capable of seating 75, with living spaces for members in the back and basement. In 1994 a fire destroyed the space. The Collective members moved to Ludlow Street and reorganized as the Collective:Unconscious Theater.

Collective:Unconscious produced hundreds of performances through the 1990s and 2000s at its own facility as well as other locations.[6] Collective's artists and associated groups have mounted works at Collective's home facilities, the Knitting Factory, the BWAC festival at Red Hook, [P.S. 122](/source/P.S._122), Exit Art, Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center, [Theater for the New City](/source/Theater_for_the_New_City), La Plaza Cultural and the Sixth Street/Avenue B Garden, as well as touring internationally with the play *[Charlie Victor Romeo](/source/Charlie_Victor_Romeo)*. Collective:Unconscious also founded its own unofficial parade, the annual July 4 Monster Parade and in conjunction with sub-group IFAM, won several Coney Island Mermaid Parade contests in the Sea Monster category (see photo, left). Collective:Unconscious artists have participated in several festivals,[7] on and off site, including the [New York International Fringe Festival](/source/New_York_International_Fringe_Festival),[8] [Underground Zero](/source/Underground_Zero) Festival, "The Robert Beck Memorial Cinema,"[9] and the Downtown Arts Festival.

## Theaters

### Lower East Side theater

Collective:Unconscious Theater was officially established in a condemned brothel previously known as "Cucho Tailor" on [Ludlow Street](/source/Ludlow_Street) between Stanton Street and Rivington Street on the [Lower East Side](/source/Lower_East_Side) of [New York City](/source/New_York_City) in 1994. In recognition of its sordid history, the first open performance in the space was also named "Cucho Tailor". Thousands of performances followed until 2004.[citation needed] In addition to hosting a number of unique series such as [Reverend Jen](/source/Reverend_Jen)'s [Anti-Slam](/source/Anti-Slam) and [Faceboy'z Open Mic](/source/Faceboy), Collective:Unconscious has also hosted several festivals, including the [New York International Fringe Festival](/source/New_York_International_Fringe_Festival), the Downtown Arts Festival, and the New York Lower East Side Film Festival. The Collective at Ludlow Street shared a place in New York's off-off-Broadway and performance art theater history, along with fellow performance spaces in the neighborhood such as [Surf Reality](/source/Surf_Reality), [Todo Con Nada](/source/Todo_con_Nada) (NADA), Gargoyle Mechanique, The Present Company, House of Candles, and Pianos (Theater). It was noted as "entry-level Bohemia and thoroughly casual" by *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*.[10]

The Collective seated approximately 75 people in the main floor, and occasionally opened areas on the second floor and in the basement for special events, such as the annual "Auto-Historical Event" anniversary performance. As a commercial space Collective:Unconscious faced repeated increases in rent over the decade,[11] which ultimately drove the Collective theater (as well as [Surf Reality](/source/Surf_Reality), [The Present Company](/source/The_Present_Company), House of Candles, and Todo Con Nada, among others) from the Lower East Side. The Collective:Unconscious theater was vacated in 2004, and subsequently demolished, and is now a typical Lower East Side condominium.

### Tribeca theater

Collective:Unconscious moved to its Tribeca location in 2004,[12] and launched new initiatives with the theatrical group [The Tank](/source/The_Tank_(theater)), theater-burlesque innovators Pinchbottom featuring [Jonny Porkpie](/source/Jonny_Porkpie) and [Nasty Canasta](/source/Nasty_Canasta_(burlesque)), the annual Underground Zero festival, the [New York International Fringe Festival](/source/New_York_International_Fringe_Festival),[13] Shifting Ambition Theater's *No Alarms (Headfullofradio)*,[14] and many others. Among the headliners were [Karen Finley](/source/Karen_Finley) and [Neal Medlyn](/source/Neal_Medlyn),[15] [Mike Daisey](/source/Mike_Daisey),[16] [Annie Sprinkle](/source/Annie_Sprinkle) ('Exposed: Experiments in Love, Sex, Death and Art'),[17] and East River Commedia.[18]

In July 2008, the Tribeca facility had to be abandoned due to a sewage situation.[19][20]

## See also

- [Surf Reality](/source/Surf_Reality)
- [ABC No Rio](/source/ABC_No_Rio)
- [Art Stars](/source/Art_Stars)
- [Performance Space 122](/source/Performance_Space_122)
- [Upright Citizens Brigade](/source/Upright_Citizens_Brigade)
- [Pinchbottom Burlesque](/source/Pinchbottom_Burlesque)

## References

1. [Tax Exempt Status](http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organizations/new_york_ny_10013.asp)

1. [The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Past Recipients](http://www.lmcc.net/grants/downtown/productiongrant/pastgrantees2006.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20081121152748/http://www.lmcc.net/grants/downtown/productiongrant/pastgrantees2006.html) 2008-11-21 at the Wayback Machine

1. Pogrebin, Robin (October 31, 2005), ["Arts Groups Pessimistic Over Prospects for Culture Downtown"](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/31/arts/31cult.html?pagewanted=2&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse&scp=68), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-11

1. Williams, Geoff (June 2001), ["Absolut Investment"](http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2001/june/40452.html), *Entrepreneur Magazine*, retrieved 2008-08-11

1. Kharakh, Ben (July 27, 2007), ["Francis Hall, Host of Faceboyz Open Mike"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080409182351/http://gothamist.com/2007/07/13/francis_faceboy.php), *The Gothamist*, archived from [the original](http://gothamist.com/2007/07/13/francis_faceboy.php) on April 9, 2008, retrieved 2008-08-20

1. Copage, Eric (October 31, 1999), ["NEW YORKERS & CO.; New Role for Small Theater Troupes: Entrepreneur"](https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/31/nyregion/new-yorkers-co-new-role-for-small-theater-troupes-entrepreneur.html), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-11

1. Gussow, Mel (August 11, 1997), ["Now New York, Too, Has a Fringe Festival (No Chandeliers Need Apply)"](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/11/theater/now-new-york-too-has-a-fringe-festival-no-chandeliers-need-apply.html?pagewanted=2), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-11

1. Marks, Peter (August 21, 1998), ["Wild, Woolly, Maybe Wondrous"](https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/21/movies/wild-woolly-maybe-wondrous.html?pagewanted=3), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-11

1. ["dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/fales/collun/bioghist.html"](http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/fales/collun/bioghist.html). *dlib.nyu.edu*. Retrieved 2020-12-29.[dead link]

1. Pareles, Jon (September 9, 1997), ["The New Bohemia: It's East of SoHo And Still Unspoiled"](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/26/movies/the-new-bohemia-it-s-east-of-soho-and-still-unspoiled.html?pagewanted=3), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-11

1. Salkin, Allen (June 3, 2007), ["Lower East Side Is Under a Groove"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/fashion/03misrahi.html?scp=76&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-11

1. Lauren Dzura (June 2, 2005). ["Collective:Unconscious Regroups in Tribeca Theater"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080906091726/http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_107/collectiveunconscious.html). *Downtown Express*. Archived from [the original](http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_107/collectiveunconscious.html) on September 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-21.

1. Kendt, Rob (August 25, 2005), ["The Need to Think Onstage Is Driving Mr. Daisey"](http://theater2.nytimes.com/2005/08/25/theater/reviews/25thic.html?scp=22&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-21

1. Jefferson, Margo (July 25, 2005), ["A Perilous Journey to the End of the Performance"](http://theater2.nytimes.com/2005/07/25/theater/reviews/25alar.html?scp=26&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-21

1. Isherwood, Charles (September 23, 2004), ["He's From the White House, She's From a Clean House"](http://theater2.nytimes.com/2004/09/23/theater/reviews/23geor.html?scp=30&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-21

1. Zinoman, Jason (January 21, 2007), ["The Need to Think Onstage Is Driving Mr. Daisey"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/theater/21zino.html?scp=17&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-21

1. Isherwood, Charles (May 1, 2007), ["Amid Bare Breasts and Love Stories, Audience Participation"](http://theater2.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/theater/reviews/01expo.html?scp=6&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-21

1. Jefferson, Margo (February 15, 2005), ["Lessons From the Animal Kingdom"](http://theater2.nytimes.com/2005/02/15/theater/reviews/15sere.html?scp=53&sq=collective%20unconscious&st=cse), *The New York Times*, retrieved 2008-08-21

1. Hetrick, Adam (July 3, 2008), ["The New Bohemia: Collective:Unconscious Will Vanish July 31"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080803144645/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119192.html), *Playbill*, archived from [the original](http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119192.html) on August 3, 2008, retrieved 2008-08-21

1. S.D., Trav (July 9, 2008), ["Downtown Stalwart Collective:Unconscious to Close"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080714091433/http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-07-09/theater/downtown-stalwart-collective-unconscious-to-close/), *Village Voice*, archived from [the original](http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-07-09/theater/downtown-stalwart-collective-unconscious-to-close/) on July 14, 2008, retrieved 2008-08-21

## External links

- [Guide to Collective: Unconscious Archive at New York University's Fales Library](https://web.archive.org/web/20100612153214/http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/fales/collun.html)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Collective:Unconscious](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective%3AUnconscious) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective%3AUnconscious?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.