CITYWATCH Gallery space closing at Rhode Island Foundation BY CHRISTINA BEVILACQUA

In moving from the Jewelry District to the venerable One Union Station in August 1999, the Rhode Island Foundation chose a home with not only a past, but potential. "Everyone was very excited about the building," recalls foundation spokesman Rick Schwartz. "We’d have the opportunity to provide meeting space for nonprofit organizations and an art gallery."

Indeed, the foundation’s gallery opened a year later, with a promotion budget, a full-time director, visual artist Anne Rocheleau, and staff as needed to set up and take down artwork and provide security during hours when the offices were closed. But despite exhibits of artistic and critical merit, by the end of 2003, says Schwartz, "There just weren’t enough people coming through the door to justify our continued investment at that level." Reluctant to abandon the endeavor altogether, the foundation approached Bert Crenca, AS220’s artistic director, and after some negotiating, both parties agreed that with the RIF’s financial support, AS220 would assume responsibility for running the gallery — including curating the shows — for a year. After that commitment, the foundation would reassess its funding decision.

The revised gallery, dubbed AS220 Project Space, produced six shows in 2004, each with a curatorial eye toward illuminating such relevant local concerns as technology, preservation, shelter, and the environment. Its newest, "Forest & People, Partners Through Time," with photographs by Salvatore Mancini, running through December 29, will be its last. Citing growing requests from nonprofits seeking meeting space, and a gallery audience that did not appear to be increasing with the same force, the foundation plans to convert the exhibit space to meeting space in 2005. Schwartz says the foundation is currently brainstorming other ways to augment its financial support to artists; a Web gallery is one possibility.

Last week, Crenca and AS220 gallery manager Neal Walsh were philosophical in their disappointment. "They were honorable," says Crenca of the foundation. "They never asked us to avoid controversy, they were up front about the year’s commitment, and they have other priorities. It’s just . . . we’re trying to build momentum for visual arts, so it hurts when any space is taken off line. It’s not a reflection of the foundation. We’re just sad." Walsh, a visual artist himself, acknowledges the difficulty of choosing to fund art. "Encouraging an arts culture means balancing something that needs cultivation against the logic of the bottom line. Success isn’t measured in the short term," he muses, then adds with a smile, "We’re not done yet."

Art dealer Sara Agniel concurs. "It’s not cheap to invest in the arts, and there’s no timeline for a return on the investment," she says. "Neal used the space to showcase very relevant issues, but it costs a lot of money to run a gallery, and that’s not the mission of the Rhode Island Foundation."

Cristina Di Chiera, director of Individual Artists & Public Arts Programs for the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, mourns the larger lack of exhibit space in the state. "Even if the Project Space hadn’t closed, we’d still be having this conversation," she says. "Under Anne and then Neal, the gallery presented smart, timely, visually stunning shows. As an artist myself, it makes me sad to think it will no longer be a space for art. So, many of us have our thinking caps on. Where can we establish another gallery space that does not need income from selling or fundraising to sustain itself? Where can art exhibits happen just for the sake of showing great, interesting art? Thank you to the Rhode Island Foundation for the great shows; who’s going to step up to the plate now?"