With Heavy Hearts We Make this Announcement
Dear Friends,
You may have heard murmurings regarding the future of Åarhus. As you can imagine, Åarhus has been a labor of love for us for these seven years. We have met so many talented artists and have had the great privilege of mounting over 70 exhibitions and handling outstanding work from a diverse range of disciplines from this remarkable and expansive creative community. The hard truth is that despite our efforts, our wine and cheese, our pristine walls, the artists’ terrific work, and your patronage, sales have not been energetic enough to keep us afloat. Ålas, we must go! Åarhus Gallery will be shutting its doors at the end of the year. We are full of gratitude for our beloved community of Belfast, and our many dear friends beyond, for the enthusiasm and appreciation you all showed for what we were attempting here.
We chose a less commercial route through the gallery business, but we were only ever pursuing a conception, of art in place, a place on Main Street in Belfast. We realized our vision with the help of you all. Thank you.
Regards,
The Åarhusians (Mark, Richard, Wes and Willy)
Into The Black Party at Aarhus
Friday, January 9th 2015 from 5 to 9 pm
Friends of Aarhus will be holding one last party at the Gallery as a fitting send off for over seven great years of art in Belfast.
For more details check the Into The Black facebook page.
Farewell to Aarhus
Åarhus’ remaining partners, from left, Richard Mann, Willy Reddick, Wes Reddick and Mark Kelly. (Photo by Alan Crichton)
For the remaining partners, there is hope that Åarhus has spurred on the next cooperative gallery
BELFAST — Åarhus Gallery in downtown Belfast, for seven years, has been the place to gather during Friday Night Art walks. Its white walls and beautiful tall windows front right onto lower Main Street. Its huge, blue-grey swing hangs from the 12-foot-ceiling to just millimeters above the funky, scarred wooden floors. The exhibits change monthly with some of the best artwork in Maine. This is the Åarhus so many have known and loved.
Read the full interview by Al Crichton in the Pen Bay Pilot
Artists Richard Mann, Willy Reddick and Wes Reddick, three of the four partners in Aarhus Gallery, were getting ready Thursday for the gallery’s final event — a farewell party put on by the community as a way to say thank you for the seven years of art and events. (photo by Abigail Curtis)
‘Into the Black’: Final event for Belfast gallery a farewell celebration
BELFAST, Maine — One hundred and fifty colorful posters march around the tall white walls of the Aarhus Gallery in downtown Belfast, each bringing up memories of a different show, concert, play or event that took place there in the last seven years.
On Friday, Jan. 9, the doors will reopen for the very last event there — a special farewell party called “Into the Black” intended to celebrate the artists who have owned and run the gallery and ideally lessen their financial burden as they close it down.
“The hard truth is that despite our efforts, our wine and cheese, our pristine walls, the artists’ terrific work and your patronage, sales have not been energetic enough to keep us afloat,” a sign posted in the gallery’s window reads. “Alas, we must go!”
Read the full story by Abigail Curtis in the Bangor Daily News
