Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Bushwick Venue Silent Barn Struggling To Regroup After Fire
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Sep 30, 2015
Modified Sep 30, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
G. Lucas Crane
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Sep 30, 2015
Modified Sep 30, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Bushwick music venue and artist collective Silent Barn suffered serious damage in a fire late Friday night, and organizers say they'll be rescheduling shows for at least three weeks while they assess the damage—they're also planning to launch a fundraiser soon to help recoup operational costs lost during the closure.
The fire, which was likely electrical, started in a resident's third floor room at around 10:30 p.m. on Friday. Though it was extinguished soon after, Stephanie Griffin, a spokesperson for the venue, says the entire Bushwick Avenue building suffered extreme water damage throughout.
"We have 14 people living upstairs who have moved out," Griffin told us. "There are two people who lost everything that they own, including cell phones. They ran out just wearing what they had." So far, Griffin says community members have been incredibly helpful, offering couches and other free housing to Silent Barn residents who have been displaced.
They've also netted about $16,600 in donations, and though the space is heavily insured, they've had to shift shows to neighboring venues, which is taking a financial toll. "We have done the math of our operational costs of what we're losing by being closed everyday. We're definitely going to have to launch a full pledge-fundraising campaign once the damage is assessed," Griffin said, adding that the venue will likely be seeking somewhere around $45K in donations.
Financial problems aside, Silent Barn's fans and collective members face an additional emotional struggle. Their inaugural space in Ridgewood was vandalized and burglarized in 2011, forcing the venue to relocate to Bushwick a few years later. This time, thankfully, the Silent Barn folks were ready for unforeseen disaster. "We were so prepared for something like this to happen that [residents are] handling it really well. Obviously there are some people who are taking it harder than others," Griffin said. "Two people lost everything they had. But seems like we're all handling it pretty similar way. We've all been together a lot over the past four days."
As for next steps, insurance agents will be inspecting the damage over the next few days, after which the collective will launch into repair mode. Though they expect to recoup some funds from the insurance company, they will have to front the cost of repairs. "We've started doing things like patching the ceiling because it's supposed to rain today, and we can't suffer more water damage," Griffin said. "We're currently ripping out all of the ceilings the drywall, because we suffered water damage on every level of the building."
It's been a rough couple of years for Brooklyn music venues, with beloved Williamsburg DIY venues Death By Audio, 285 Kent and Glasslands shuttering thanks to Vice Media's new offices on South 2nd Street.
You can donate to Silent Barn on their website, or you can volunteer to help with repairs on their Helptagon page.
Tagged
bushwick
damage
fire
silent barn
original
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
"Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," says the co-owner of Art of Play.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 13, 2026 at 3:17 p.m. ET
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Arts & Entertainment
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .