The SL Enquirer: The MMAC

Thursday, May 29, 2025

SPOTLIGHT ON THEMMAC- Multi Media Arts Center - Lanai Jarrico Reporting…

Thursday, May 29, 2025 Amphitheater, animations, art, cabaret, Dash Renoir, music, spotlight feature, The Comedy Link, The Film Link Cinema, The Jazz link, The MMAC, The Multi Media Arts Center, The SL Enquirer, visual arts, World Stage No comments

The MMAC aka Multi Media Arts Center, was established in 2007 and has continued to entertain the Second Life community with live music, nightclubs, gallery events, Cinema, Comedy, Film, poetry, and much more! The man behind this very successful and staple of SL Entertainment is none other than Dash Renoir. His presence in Second Life over the past 18 years is impressive, to say the least. He is a bona fide virtual world renaissance man. I met up with Dash to get an update on TheMMAC and see what's new.

Interview with Dash Renoir

Lanai: Hi Dash, it is a pleasure to sit with you. For nearly two

decades, you have contributed so much to the entertainment community in

Second Life. Can you share with our readers how you discovered Second

Life and what inspired The MMAC?

Dash: Summer 2006 I heard stories on NPR's "Marketplace" and on MSNBC

about Second Life. Spent a couple weeks exploring, checking out live

events, clubs and corporate sites with a forgotten avi. Rejoined as Dash

Renoir in January 2007 to showcase my band "Suburban Dog". Spent late

nights in sandboxes learning to build, in particular modeling the RL

theater space I purchased to open the Multi Media Arts Center, New

Jersey USA, in 2008. TheMMAC in SL was build as an extension of TheMMAC

1st Life. ( www.TheMMAC.com )

Lanai: The Multi Media Arts Center can only be described as an

all-in-one place where all sorts of entertainment happen. Just like it

takes a village to raise a child, it has to take an extraordinary team

to keep The MMAC continuous for so many years. Who makes up TheMMAC team?

Dash: LOL just me. All me. All depending on my RL workload. To

clarify, 2008-2012 activities were driven by RL MMAC. After its closing

2012-2014 were probably the busiest for in world-originated stuff. But

busy RL film production work limited my time to just doing late night DJ

sets "Funk Fridays" and "Slow Jams For A Saturday Night" to keep tier

and memberships paid through the decade. Following a major hack in the summer

Of 2024, where my build was wiped/sold, lindens stolen, etc, along with a

slow down in RL work I am spending time to rebuild, revive, restore ...

reboot TheMMAC!

Lanai: That’s Impressive. I can’t even imagine how busy you are doing this alone! I’m sorry to hear that happened but I am glad to see your resilience and rebuilding this iconic SL landmark. Can you share a little bit about each venue that is part of TheMMAC?

Dash: Briefly...

Performance spaces ..

WORLD STAGE: a Concert Theater built over the corner of 4 Sims,

Originally, the extension of TheMMAC RL stages

CABARET CARLOTTA: more intimate Showcase Stage

THE JAZZ LINK: Lounge

OPEN AIR THEATRE: Amphitheater

THE COMEDY LINK: Laugh Club

Moving Images ..

THE FILM LINK CINEMA & FLY-IN DRIVE-IN MOVIES : Short Films, Videos,

Animation, Machinima, etc. On Demand

Visual Arts ..

MMAC GALLERY & TERRACE SCULPTURE GARDEN

UNDERGROUND Disco

TOP OF TheMMAC Penthouse Ballroom: for milestone events

Lanai: You have a lot going on! Between Funk Fridays and Slow Jams at Nightclub events, Gallery showcases, The Comedy Link, Monthly Midweek Movie Mingle, The Film Link, Poetry, radio, and more, what is your favorite form of entertainment that you host in Second Life and why?

Dash: Live entertainment, probably. I'm an impresario by temperament, I

enjoy putting talent/performers together with an attentive audience.

Lanai: I can relate. There is something magical about bringing people together with creativity and media. Are you currently hiring for positions within The MMAC? If so, which positions are available, and how can one apply?

Dash: I have not hired anyone yet... probably should ... in particular

maybe promoters or subcontractors to help maximize the utilization of

the spaces.

Lanai: Make sure you send me a press release when you are ready to hire. I’m sure some people would love to be a part of all the events TheMMAC has to offer. So, what group can residents join to keep up with all the actions at

TheMMAC?

Dash:

"MMAC Guests" is the open group, kiosk in lobby.

"MMAC Patrons" is the invitation only/largest group

"MMAC Members" is the feed premium group with perks

Lanai: Do you have a calendar of events? If so, can you drop the link?

Dash: https://themmacsl.com/events.html

Lanai: This year you celebrated 18th years in Second Life with the

FETE event. Can you tell our readers about that?

Dash: It was a very successful event, well supported by performers and

patrons, which ran one day, Sunday, April 6th, celebrating the April 7th

2007 opening of TheMMAC inSL