Bedford Arts Cooperative

08/30/2026

Hi everyone. First, I want to thank all of you who came in on Saturday. Everyone helped in exactly the right way.

Since then, I've been forming a plan as to how to proceed, and what I've decided aligns with these goals: 1. Leave the building. 2. Retain enough "vital components" so that if a way forward is made clear, we won't have to start from scratch. 3. Make intentional decisions about all of the equipment and materials we can't keep.

To these ends, here is the remaining plan:

CLOSING OPS, PHASES 2-4

PHASE 2:
Saturday, Sept. 5th, 10:00am
-Loading personal belongings
into trailer
-Pulling and packing period and specialty costumes/props
-Sorting Sound and Tech carts
-OPS Guild Business

PHASE 3:
Saturday, Sept. 19th at 10am
-Loading truck 10am-12pm
-Invitation only event: 12pm-3pm
-3pm-5pm: Unload at storage unit. Dinner and drinks in Portage.

PHASE 4:
Saturday, Sept. 26th
-10am-1pm OPEN SALE/RUMMAGE/Bag sale
-1pm-UNTIL DONE. Final deconstruction and disposal (FAREWELL RITUALS) *If you want to say goodbye, that's the time.

You can come to any or all, some or part of each day. My hope is to not drag this out and salvage some of the fall without crying 24/7. I need your help, and I will be so grateful for it. I will also be grateful for totes and sturdy cardboard boxes. Boxes will be used for people taking things we're not keeping, totes for storage.

08/29/2026

08/23/2026

A FAREWELL TO OPS:

Good morning friends, family, and fans.

First, I want to thank those of you who took time out of your own busy lives to let me know how much OPS means to you. While it will take me time to respond, I am reading everything, and it is helping me get through the day.

To those of you who were able to come and be with me yesterday, you reminded me that wherever we are, OPS lives. I needed that.

Next. The harder part. No matter what path lies ahead, there is 11 years of theatre stuff to contend with because we do have to move out. That being said, phase I will begin this Saturday, August 29th at 10am at OPS.

The plan: begin to move everything into 3, long columns down the center of the building: keep, sell, or rummage/donate.
We will throw out things as we go.

If you are willing/able, come for an hour or come for the day. My hope is that, if we can get a bunch of people, we can accomplish a lot without having to give up all of our Saturdays in autumn.

So if you can: show up, bring a dolly or hand cart (if you've got one), bring work gloves.

Also, we will immediately be accepting donations of clean, sturdy totes of various sizes.

If enough people come, we won't stay past mid-afternoon. This is going to be emotionally taxing as well as physically, so, as I've always said: many hands make light work.

If you feel inclined to bring snacks, breakfast, lunch items to share, please do. And you'll be able to eat or drink anything we've got because it all has to go.

I'm trying to be calm and organized and just keep moving forward. Friends, family, or anyone who just feels like they want to help, are all welcome.

My plan is to try and organize no more than 4, big workdays and get it done. My hope is that, in that time, a way forward will come to light. I love you all. I'll see you Saturday, August 29th any time from 10am on.

P.S. If you have a way and a means, we could use a couple more sturdy, free-standing ladders as well. There will be tasks for every ability level from sorting and organizing to dismantling and packing.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.