Madison Messenger - April 5th, 2020
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www.madisonmessengernews.com <strong>April</strong> 5, <strong>2020</strong> - MADISON MESSENGER - Page 7<br />
Former school building to become Art Center<br />
Guild excited about<br />
larger gallery and<br />
more classroom space<br />
By Kristy Zurbrick<br />
<strong>Madison</strong> Editor<br />
More space to make and display more<br />
art. That’s the idea behind the London Visual<br />
Arts Guild’s (LVAG) forthcoming move<br />
to a new location.<br />
Since its start in 2008, the non-profit has<br />
been hosting exhibits, holding classes, and<br />
offering workspace to artists of all ages at<br />
Gallery on High, 5 E. High St., and Studio<br />
7, 7 E. High St., in London. The guild’s lease<br />
at these locations expires at the end of<br />
<strong>April</strong>, after which the group will move to<br />
121 E. First St.<br />
The new location, to be named the London<br />
Art Center, is a one-story brick building<br />
on the former London City Schools campus,<br />
now owned by the city of London. The building<br />
once was home to the school district’s<br />
vocational, agriculture, and art classes. It<br />
Tony Reeder and Josie Harris work on a<br />
remodeling project at the London Visual<br />
Arts Guild’s new space.<br />
Drawing by Judy Dillon-Smith<br />
The London Visual Arts Guild is renovating a former school building at 121 E. First St.<br />
to serve as its new London Art Center.<br />
has sat empty since the school district vacated<br />
the downtown campus.<br />
“It’s at least three times the size of the<br />
space we have now,” said Sandy Fox, LVAG<br />
vice president, also noting that the new location<br />
comes with plenty of parking.<br />
The space is divided into three large<br />
rooms and several smaller spaces. The large<br />
rooms will house the guild’s gallery, gift<br />
shop and classroom for adults, and children’s<br />
classroom and display area. The<br />
smaller spaces will be used for artist workspace,<br />
one-on-one instruction, small group<br />
classroom space, and storage. The building<br />
also includes a small kitchen.<br />
The guild is leasing the space from the<br />
city.<br />
“I think they will be great tenants. They<br />
do so much for the city. They are one of the<br />
hidden gems of London,” said London<br />
Mayor Pat Closser. “Giving them more<br />
space will let them expand and get more exposure<br />
and increase the arts for the community<br />
even more than they already have.”<br />
Originally, the group was to take occupancy<br />
in October of last year, but the building<br />
has no heat. The city is working on<br />
getting a gas line installed so that furnaces<br />
can go in.<br />
In the meantime, guild volunteers are<br />
remodeling what they can. The have removed<br />
old fixtures and unneeded items,<br />
done some painting, started drywall installation,<br />
and modified the side entrance to the<br />
gallery for easier access.<br />
Grant funding is helping to cover costs.<br />
The Ohio Arts Council awarded the guild<br />
$2,750 in matching funds for lighting and<br />
the construction of display units for sculpture<br />
and other three-dimensional art<br />
pieces.<br />
“We’ve never had room for sculptures<br />
and 3-D art before,” Fox said.<br />
Stanley Electric in London awarded the<br />
guild $5,000 for costs associated with transition<br />
to the new space. Several other donations,<br />
large and small, plus proceeds from a<br />
fall fundraiser are making the remodeling<br />
project possible.<br />
Fox said she does not know when the<br />
new art center will open. Timing will depend<br />
on completion of the furnace project<br />
and the status of the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />
For now, guild members are looking forward<br />
to hosting a combined show in August.<br />
They plan to merge their 6th Annual<br />
Community Show, originally scheduled for<br />
May 14-June 14, with their annual Member<br />
Show, scheduled for Aug. 1-30.<br />
The Community Show welcomes submissions<br />
from the public. New entry deadlines<br />
and drop-off dates will be announced at a<br />
later date.<br />
As for how the community can help with<br />
the new space or operations, Fox said input<br />
is greatly welcomed.<br />
“Let us know what you’d like to see us do<br />
with the space,” she said. “What kind of<br />
classes and events would you like to see?<br />
What would get you interested in the arts<br />
and bring the community together?”<br />
For more information or to offer input,<br />
contact Sandy Fox at (937) 207-7400. Go to<br />
londonvisualartsguild.org for details and<br />
updates.<br />
London Visual Arts Guild’s board of directors<br />
includes: Elizabeth Lassel, president;<br />
Sandy Fox, vice president; Kim<br />
Burdette, treasurer; Mick Harris, secretary;<br />
Bob Rea, Pam Stanforth and Colleen<br />
VanSteen, directors.<br />
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