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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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