The story of the Brew House is a typical tale of artists struggling to survive in a city that can be less than accommodating.

by Contributor

Damn the Man
Forming a collective, the resident artists established a bulwark against being evicted by the municipal authorities and formed a non-profit organization which runs a gallery on the building's first floor called Space 101.

Studio at Home
If the Mattress Factory can be considered an alternative museum, then the Brew House edifice itself--a bare industrial structure, formerly the Duquesne Brewery, that has been turned into living and working space for about two dozen artists over the past decade--is even further on the aesthetic edge. With extremely high ceilings and a raw but finished post-modern feel, Space 101 has hosted many art shows both of national caliber and of local relevance.

Artsy Activities
Also on the floor is the huge, gritty garage of the Industrial Arts Co-op, which has staged such events as independent theater productions, machine-driven performance art, a puppet festival and even a Grateful Dead tribute night. Constant activity at the Brew House makes it the central focus for artistic happenings on the South Side.