Sixth Street Gallery is getting a new home and a new name.
The downtown Vancouver gallery, hubbed at 105 W. Sixth St. for the past five years, is moving a few blocks north to 111 W. Ninth St.
o Previously: Co-op members at Sixth Street Gallery in downtown Vancouver announced in July that they needed to raise $5,000 by Aug. 8 to keep the gallery afloat. They succeeded in raising about $4,100, but it wasn’t enough to stay in their current location at 105 W. Sixth St
Earlier this month, members were close to finalizing a lease on an approximately 1,300-square-foot space at 109 W. Ninth St., and were contemplating changing the gallery’s name to Gallery 360. They hoped to open on Oct. 1.
o What’s new: Paperwork has been filed with the state to change Sixth Street’s name to Gallery 360. Gallery members have signed a two-year lease on an approximately 2,000-square-foot space at 111 W. Ninth St., Vancouver.
o Previously: Co-op members at Sixth Street Gallery in downtown Vancouver announced in July that they needed to raise $5,000 by Aug. 8 to keep the gallery afloat. They succeeded in raising about $4,100, but it wasn't enough to stay in their current location at 105 W. Sixth St
Earlier this month, members were close to finalizing a lease on an approximately 1,300-square-foot space at 109 W. Ninth St., and were contemplating changing the gallery's name to Gallery 360. They hoped to open on Oct. 1.
o What's new: Paperwork has been filed with the state to change Sixth Street's name to Gallery 360. Gallery members have signed a two-year lease on an approximately 2,000-square-foot space at 111 W. Ninth St., Vancouver.
o What's next: Sixth Street will be open at its present location through Sept. 26. Members hope to celebrate Gallery 360's grand opening on Nov. 5 for First Friday Art Walk.
o What’s next: Sixth Street will be open at its present location through Sept. 26. Members hope to celebrate Gallery 360’s grand opening on Nov. 5 for First Friday Art Walk.
Since it will no longer be located on Sixth Street, members of the co-op filed paperwork with the state to change their name to Gallery 360.
It’s a cost-cutting move for the gallery, which has been struggling financially due to dwindling sales, class registrations and donations.
In 2009, Sixth Street Gallery had net income of $2,340. But from January through August of this year, the gallery was $2,226 in the red, according to financial statements provided by Sam MacKenzie, president of Mosaic Arts Alliance, the gallery’s nonprofit parent organization.
Rent at the new space will be about two-thirds the cost of the Sixth Street space, said Jamie Lutz Carroll, vice president of Mosaic.
The gallery finalized a two-year lease on the approximately 2,000-square-foot-space on Wednesday. It’s about the same size as the Sixth Street space.
At first, members considered leasing a smaller space at 109 W. Ninth St., the back room of a former bar. They opted ultimately to lease both that space and the adjacent storefront at 111 W. Ninth St., which used to be a barber shop.
Both spaces are part of the historic Ludesher building, recently purchased by Portlanders Jeff Arthur, Don Mutal and Aaron Jones. The landlords are pleased with their new tenants.
“We’re just excited about seeing a great gallery move into that space,” Arthur said.
Gallery members are optimistic about the move, as well.
“We’re very excited, though it’s a little daunting,” Carroll said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to go into it. It’s pretty rough right now.”
Gallery members will knock down the wall separating the two spaces to create one bigger area with room for art displays and classroom instruction. They also have a lot of cleaning and painting to do, and need to install lighting and a wheelchair-accessible bathroom, Carroll said.
The gallery will remain open at its current location on Sixth Street through Sept. 26. Members had hoped to have the new gallery open to the public on Oct. 1, but that date has now been pushed back to Nov. 5. However, members plan to have art on display in the windows of the new gallery for October’s First Friday Art Walk.
The name change reflects Southwest Washington’s area code but has a more abstract meaning, as well.
“Three-hundred and sixty degrees is a full turnaround,” Carroll said. “That’s kind of how we look at this move, since our other option was closing.”
