In the category of ‘big news’, a move is about as big as it comes. After two and a half years at 9132 118th Ave, Bleeding Heart Art Space is moving.
July 4 will be our final day at our current address. We will finish out the run of the beautiful and touching HOME exhibit, part of The Works Festival. Then we will say goodbye.
9132 has been very good to us.
We’ve been lucky to find a beautiful street-front space with a crazy-ornate custom ceiling and beautiful blond hardwood floors. We have made good use of this space. We’ve ArtLucked together, sharing tears and laughter and inspiration and frustration. We’ve invited colourful monsters to live with us for a while and we’ve coloured all over the walls. We’ve heard concerts, celebrated birthdays and planned community art installations. We’ve invited others to use our space. It has been so good.
There have been some problems at 9132 and we’ve learned a lot.
Two years have taught us who we are. We’ve learned that Bleeding Heart Art Space is a unique destination, and not so much a ‘walk in’ space. With great-big windows at sidewalk level, passers-by have been able to peek in and see entire shows without engaging with us. This has been a surprising downside to our street-level-big-window existence.
We have also been sharing this building with a catering company. Cooking can create strong odours that don’t always complement an art show. A lot of the time it’s not a big deal, but other times we’ve decided to close the gallery for the day. I’ve thought long and hard about how to best solve this issue, knowing that a catering company can’t just stop cooking, because, that’s kinda what they do.
These thoughts have been swirling in my mind for the past year, along with the knowledge that our current rental agreement would expire this summer, leaving us with a big decision to make about our future. We’ve decided to move, and I believe this move opens new opportunities for us.
We’re moving up.
We have a beautiful new space, filled with just as much natural sunlight, one floor up from street level and just next door. We’ll be moving above our friends at Paraiso Tropical latin market into a space that is larger and more versatile. Plus, there’s a balcony!
Today, the space at 9140 doesn’t look quite as nice as the one we’re in, but with your help it will be even better by the end of this summer.
July and August will be moving and renovation months for us. We’re moving our stuff (thankfully we travel light), putting in flooring, painting walls and more.
I’d love to tell you more–and show you more–this Friday night at The Bleeding Hearts Club.
Bleeding Hearts Club is a gathering for people who believe we need a space of welcome, where faith and the arts can dance. We will come together and experience beautiful art and music, hear about the vision for Bleeding Heart’s future, then, at the end of the evening, get a sneak peek at that future as we tour our new space at 9140, just next door.
Onward and, literally, upwards!
Home is, after all, what we make of it, and we are bringing along all of the people and passion who have made Bleeding Heart a beautiful Space.
Welcome mat coming September 2017.