Arts council to open collective gallery downtown

The council has signed a one-year lease with building owner Nick Sibley for the first floor and basement of the 411 S. Campbell Ave. building. The gallery – which has not been named – should open by Sept. 5, according to SRAC Executive Director Sandra CH Smith.

The space will be divided into 12–14 areas for artists to work and display their art. They will pay a membership fee and a commission on artwork sold, Smith said, and they will be responsible for maintaining their space. Members will rotate out yearly.

Smith is tying up loose ends on the program and expects to begin marketing the concept to artists this week, she said. Interested applicants will then submit samples of their work and go before a jury.

“We decided that we needed to have a space to feature local art,” Smith said. “We wanted to turn Springfield into Art Town USA.”

Corner Printing – which operated at the building for 20 years – closed in 2005 and sold the property to Sibley, who also owns property across the street at 412 and 416 S. Campbell Ave.