CA Assemblymember Matt Haney Secures State Support for CounterPulse’s Permanent Home in Downtown San Francisco

In a landmark declaration of support for the arts in San Francisco, State Assemblymember Matt Haney has pushed CounterPulse to the finish line of their capital campaign to purchase their building and established a permanent home for arts in the Tenderloin. Recognizing CounterPulse’s significant cultural contributions over the last 30+ years, Assemblymember Haney secured a 0,000 appropriation in the California State budget to pay down the loan CounterPulse needed to close on their home at 80 Turk Street. This funding, which has been administered by the California Arts Council under the new leadership of Executive Director Danielle Brazell, represents the State’s recognition that grassroots community-based nonprofits are a critical part of sustainable economic and community development. 

“This investment ensures CounterPulse’s sustainability, and that of all the small arts companies and local Tenderloin residents that we support year after year,” said CounterPulse’s Artistic and Executive Director Julie Phelps. “As tech and commercial sectors have divested from downtown San Francisco, CounterPulse has kept our roots firmly planted. We are deeply grateful to Assemblymember Haney for the advocacy and to the California Arts Council for working to secure these funds for the arts.”  

CounterPulse has been an indispensable mainstay of experimental arts in San Francisco for more than 30 years. In 2014, CounterPulse began renovating a vacant theater in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco in partnership with a new real estate initiative called Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST). Since then, CounterPulse succeeded in fundraising $6.5 million towards the acquisition of its building from CAST and was able to purchase their building in 2023 thanks to an innovative $500,000 “program related investment” loan from the Zellerbach Family Foundation, which they can now pay off in its entirety. CounterPulse will be the first of its kind to acquire a building through this new national model of sustainability for the arts. 

“I really admire the work that CounterPulse does, not just creating space for experimental arts, but the impact that it has on the Tenderloin community,” said Assemblymember Haney. “It’s critical that the State invest in organizations like CounterPulse that continue to demonstrate the arts and culture sector’s unique power to mitigate the volatile booms and busts of California city centers. We cannot afford to lose any more spaces like CounterPulse which make California so unique, and we are proud to play a role in helping to stabilize them through the purchase of their building.”

Want to help shape the future of arts and culture in San Francisco?

CounterPulse is growing our outstanding team of Board of Directors!

CounterPulse’s Board of Directors comprise a strong coalition of thinkers, makers and movers in the Bay Area who advocate for art for positive change. As a member of our Board, you become a pivotal part of CounterPulse’s artistic and social community as an ambassador of our steadfast, 30-year organization. We’re looking for additional members to join our Board who are prepared to lead CounterPulse as we take on the extraordinary responsibility of stewarding this building and make a legacy impact on the city of San Francisco!

>> Learn More and Apply Now <<

About CounterPulse

CounterPulse is a dynamic movement of experimental art that sparks personal transformation and builds enduring community. We provide space and resources for emerging artists and cultural innovators, serving as an incubator for the creation of socially relevant, community-based art and culture. CounterPulse acts as a catalyst for art and action – creating a forum for the open exchange of art and ideas; sparking transformation in our communities and our society. We work towards a world that celebrates diversity of race, class, cultural heritage, artistic expression, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation. We strive to create an environment that is physically and economically accessible to everyone. 

www.counterpulse.org 

About Assemblymember Matt Haney

Assemblymember Matt Haney proudly represents California’s 17th Assembly District encompassing the eastern side of San Francisco. Prior to his election to the State Assembly in April 2022, Assemblymember Haney served on the San Francisco on the Board of Supervisors where he built a reputation as a hardworking, creative, collaborative problem solver with an unmatched record tackling San Francisco’s toughest challenges from homelessness and housing to public safety and corruption. During his tenure in City Hall, Matt championed some of San Francisco’s most popular and bold initiatives. He helped spearhead the effort to transform San Francisco’s mental health system with Mental Health SF, an initiative guaranteeing mental health care for all San Franciscans. He implemented common sense policies like 24-hour bathrooms and universal tenant protections, facilitated over 5,000 units of new housing in his district, and oversaw record investments in housing, public safety and economic recovery as Budget Chair. As Supervisor, Matt helped ensure more housing and more affordable housing was built in his district than any other. When the pandemic hit, Matt worked tirelessly to support his constituents, from small business owners to essential workers. He authored legislation to house over 2,000 people experiencing homelessness in hotels and spent time working on the frontlines as a disaster service worker at one of our community COVID shelter hotels when there weren’t enough staff. He launched relief programs to keep restaurants and music venues afloat during the shutdown, led the fight to open mass-vaccination sites, and authored laws to ensure workers had masks, gloves and adequate sick pay.

https://www.matthaney.com/ 

For press inquiries about this story, contact Grey Tartaglione, CounterPulse Director of Programs

grey@counterpulse.org • +1 (415) 626-2060

Header photo: Amoura Teese in VivvyAnne ForeverMORE’s “The Show” – Photo by Robbie Sweeny