Director Laura Margita prepares to move to Gallery 101’s new location on Young Street in Little Italy.
After five years in the heart of Centretown, Gallery 101 is moving from its location on Bank Street to a new home on the edge of Little Italy. It will pick up new partners along the way that will create a "renaissance" for the gallery, says director Laura Margita.
The local artist-run centre is closing its current space on Feb. 8 to prepare for the move and grand opening at 51B Young St. on March 22, just west of Gladstone Avenue.
In its new home, Gallery 101 is sharing space with three other local art initiatives: Indigenous Culture Media Innovations, Niigaan: In Conversation, and the Asinabka Festival.
"This year is all about partners," says Margita. "I think we’ll just get into the role of looking to what we can do next, and remain excited and interested while supporting each other."
Howard Adler is the co-director for the Asinabka Festival, an annual indigenous film and media event in Ottawa.
He says it is a natural partnership to work out of the same building with other groups who are passionate about the arts.
"The opportunity of being in the same space with other organizations means there’s so much potential to communicate on what we’re working on and collaborate on projects," says Adler.
The move was necessary for Gallery 101, as its current second floor location restricted access for those in wheelchairs or with difficulty walking, says Margita.
She also recalls often having to uncrate art on the sidewalk to get it up the stairs, and a piece was damaged that way.
Though the move will take the gallery west of the downtown area, the venue has made a home for itself in many locations around the city since its conception in 1979.
The centre received its name from its first location at 101 Fourth Ave. in the Glebe, before moving to Lisgar Street, then to Nepean Street, and finally Bank.
Lori Mellor, executive director of the Preston Street BIA, says she is delighted to welcome an arts centre to the neighborhood.
"We’re always happy to have another attraction to our area that’s different from restaurants, and Little Italy’s always been an area of artist residences and small studios because we’ve had such affordable land," says Mellor.
The new 2,460 sq. ft. space is simple and open and will have a single, long wall for hanging art, says Margita.
The building also features a large garage door that can be rolled up and an outdoor wall for showing films.
Alder says the collaboration in the new building will make each of the organizations’ roles easier.
"We want to present really good art, we’re all in it for the same reasons," says Adler.
The partnership will also bring in new audiences, says Margita, adding that they all hope to make art more understandable and accessible.
"People are really interested in trying to bring art down off of its pedestal and make people understand that it’s not a test and they can participate," says Margita."We want no separation of art and eating your lunch."
Mellor says the Young Street area is a place where artists can establish themselves.
"It should be a good location for a nice marriage of residents and artist community," says Mellor.
Though the four partner organizations will keep their individual titles, Margita says they are working on a collective name for the building.
She adds that the name will be in both Algonquin and English, and will be announced at the grand opening.