ASPCO (Artist's screenprinting co-op) is on the move!

ASPCO was founded as a shared co-op studio space for screenprinters in 2010. We started in the small but mighty garage space of the Pump Project Satellite. In 2013, we moved to 507 Calles street and were able to grow with a professional and spacious space built just to our needs. And now, the time has come to move on again. With rents going up in Austin, our current space has now become unaffordable.

However! We're thrilled to be moving to the incredible Canopy Austin Studio Community right down the street from the current space in East Austin in mid August (yes, just in a few short weeks!). It's an exciting change, that will allow us to be even more apart of Austin's art scene. But, moving and building out a new space brings along with it many costs. We have some money in savings, and have always prided ourselves with being financially stable. Even still, the security deposit along with first month's rent means that we're we'll be quite low on funds to move in and build out the new space and we need your help!

Working together as a Community is part of the DNA of our co-op and that's why we're turning to you for help. We are reaching out to current members of ASPCO, past members, friends and family to consider donating to help us with expenses. We can't express how greatly it is appreciated. In particular we are looking for donations for the following:

• Moving expenses: Moving spaces always brings up many costs - renting moving trucks to move our large and heavy equipment, and any other equipment and boxes we will need in the move.
• Building out the new space: We will be building out a new space from scratch. Right now, the new space is four walls and a concrete floor. To be able to screenprint in the new space, we need a dark room, plumbing hookups, and washout booth to get up and running. All of this will cost money in both labor and materials and all are critical to printing and functioning in the new space.
• Additional expenses: Oh the mysterious "additional expenses," which always seem to come out of nowhere. With moving large equipment, hundreds of screens, and various supplies in addition to building out a whole new space, we don't know all the expenses that will come up. We know, however, that there will always some surprising costs, and having a buffer to protect against that will give us peace of mind.

If we raise beyond the costs of what's listed above through your generous gifts, the additional money will go directly towards covering any portion of our rent in our first months at Canopy. These donations will help us keep monthly membership dues at currently levels.

We cannot thank you enough for even reading through this far, and thank you for considering a donation - no donation is too small! We are so grateful and proud that after 11 years ASPCO offers a unique place specifically for screenprinters to do work and create in a professional alongside fellow printers. We are the only shared screenprinting space in Austin and take such pride that since day one ASPCO has been a non-profit run completely by volunteers.

We are thrilled at the prospect that the move to Canopy will allow us to continue to grow the co-op alongside other artists with your help for years to come! Thank you!

In the photos, in order going down - you'll see the map of where the new ASPCO studios will be located; the Canopy entrance; the light filled courtyard with gallery spaces; and the coffee shop Sa-Ten on the premises. We are so excited at the prospect of being a part of this vibrant artists' community with your help.