Another gallery closing … community (vs) profit?

The Hide Gallery, which was big on community and slim on funding is closing. It makes me wonder about the sustainability of grassroots, non profit-oriented creative projects. In a time of cross marketing and product placement and sponsorship and commercials and branding – is there still a place for creatives to exist without the confines of bills?

I’ve seen several art spaces start up and attract us like moths to a flame, do wonderful things, support the art community and then run out of steam. It usually falls on one or two people to do a ton of work or constantly be drumming up people to help out…it leads to burnout. Although the vision remains, the mortal runs out of fuel.

Some places have found the balance between artistic integrity and freedom and commercial success – yet often times these two things are at odds. To those who are able to pull it off…Right On! Go Go Go.

This is the age-old journey of the artist isn’t it? Satisfy your soul, give the people what they want or ideally find a place that the two can reside.