Reveler Development is thrilled to share that [the square] is opening on November 22 at 34 Preble Street, just steps off Monument Square. Led by Equal Measure Arts (EMA) and Falmouth-based Monaco Studios, [the square] promises to be a new creative hub for the city.
Formerly home to Prism Analog, the 1,800-square foot space is being reimagined as a versatile venue dedicated to music, education, community, and the arts. The project emerged after EMA began exploring opportunities to expand its educational offerings—and learned that Prism Analog was preparing to close. Determined to preserve the location as a resource for Portland’s creative community, EMA Founder Sam Monaco led a months-long effort to save the space and develop a community-centered vision for its future.
“Demand for affordable recording sessions and educational programming in audio engineering and music production has grown far beyond the capacity of our existing resources,” said Monaco, a Portland-raised drummer and entrepreneur. “We wanted to meet students and emerging artists where many of them already are—downtown—and ensure that transportation barriers don’t interfere with access to the tools of a professional studio.”
“Our team at Port Property has been delighted to work with Sam Monaco as he further builds on the great work that Prism Analog has done in transforming this space into a music studio,” said Reveler CEO John Laliberte. “[the square] is powered by a strong community ethos and we’re excited to see the way that the community—particularly young people—will benefit from this space.”
The downtown location of [the square] is allowing EMA to deepen its collaborations with the Maine Academy of Modern Music and the Maine College of Art & Design, while developing new programs with Portland High School, the Boys & Girls Club, the Portland Public Library, the Portland Conservatory of Music, and Portland Media Center. In keeping with the model established at the Falmouth-based Monaco Studios, 10% of all commercial studio income at [the square] will go directly to EMA’s financial aid fund, which subsidizes recording time and instruction for under-resourced artists and aspiring producers and engineers.
Since its inception, the financial aid program founded by EMA at Monaco Studios has supported the creation of more than 50 songs by students and under-resourced musicians—work that has collectively reached over 221,000 streams on Spotify. Several major projects are currently underway, including an upcoming crowdfunding campaign with Graham Ganter, winner of last spring’s WMPG Battle of the Bands at USM, and another forthcoming campaign with Hadithi Abdulle, a Lewiston-based Somali songwriter completing an album of protest songs written on his oud.
While recording and production remain central to its mission, [the square] is designed to function as a multipurpose creative hub, offering services in audio engineering, podcast production, photography, videography, and immersive multimedia installations in collaboration with creative partners at PORTL&.
The grand opening celebration takes place from 3:00-7:00pm on November 22. It will feature performances by several young and emerging artists supported by EMA over the past year, including Berklee College students Ana Blosset & Aedan MacDougall, Luc Anthony (of One Hundred Thorns), and Alma June and the Persian Cats, who will also be celebrating the release of their debut album.
For more info and tickets: www.thesquareportland.com
