Even though Meow Wolf’s popularity skyrocketed within the last two decades, leading at their exhibition in Santa Fe, the artist understands what it s like to live since thrifty creatives on a budget. For over a decade, the team existed “dumpster diving for provides facilities at rock bottom prices, and long hours at jobs between the midnight available to make community based on an official statement. It is with this understanding of their struggles in taking the path in life that Meow Wolf considers in donating cash to little DIY art spaces across the country.

Last year, the Meow Wolf DIY Fund was put up in reaction to this Ghost Ship fire Oakland, when the national creative community needed encouragement and support most. With the help of donors, Meow Wolf managed to contribute $215,000 to art organizations, together with $54,000 of that funneling into Denver’s community. With the contribution, 19 companies in Denver were provided the opportunity buy equipment and materials, pay rent, increase security and to increase infrastructure.

Rhinoceropolis post . Photo Courtesy of John Gross, Rhinoceropolis rental holder

That wasn’t the first time Meow Wolf given money to the Denver scene. After the popular DIY venue Rhinoceropolis was closed down by the city in 2016, Meow Wolf given $20,000 to assist them Glob — another DIY space. Although Rhinoceropolis is still shut, the siphoning of funds toward DIY spaces may prevent future cases from replicating Rhinoceropolis — namely, artist displacement or flooding.

This year, the Meow Wolf DIY Fund has increased to $250,000 and little community spaces can apply for funding through their site  until September 30, 2018. They also offer a chance for fans and supporters of the arts — and people who have some cash to spare — to contribute to the finance within an Indiegogo site.

“Meow Wolf understands the school of hard knocks and the path that artists confront operating an alternative venue to build authentic community,” said CEO Vince Kadlubek in a press release. “We know the evils of gentrification, the lack of affordable housing, and also the lack of any jobs let alone fulfilling and nearest and dearest. In addition, we know the pressures to homogenize and be absorbed into conformist methods of living and functioning that don’t do anybodyartist, community or patron –any good. We stand in solidarity with groups round the world and respect them as agents to get a society that is healthy and thriving. The only way we can have intriguing and non-conformed civilization is when we’ve got intriguing and non-conformed space. ”