Buckham Gallery may close doors

Economic woes at the state level trickle down on an already bruised economy in Flint affecting everything from jobs to the arts. Downtown Buckham Gallery, 134 W. Second St., recently lost a third of its funding because of state grant cuts.

"We relied too heavily on the state," said founding member and Buckham Gallery Treasurer Sam Morello.

According to Morello, the state and the local financial crisis dried up private donations as well. Morello is hoping to keep the gallery's doors from closing at the end of the year.

The gallery is an artist run nonprofit that derives half of its annual $67,000 budget from in-kind gifts and volunteer workers.

"In the last two years we've used up our reserves," he said.

Closing the gallery would be a sad requiem for an endeavor that began 25 years ago as a stepping-stone for emerging artists. Its founders wanted to provide promising artists with an exhibition and performance venue not then available in Flint.

Buckham's exhibition committee carefully juries exhibits from more than 500 artists nationwide a year for their monthly showings.

"Our founding board members saw the need to look beyond the city limits of Genesee County for contributing artists," Morello said.

"The average life of an artist-run gallery is two years, Morello continued. "The Buckham Gallery is going on 25 years, hopefully it will continue. There's a group of people in Flint who want to make it work."

A group dedicated to preserving the gallery held a general meeting Sept. 27 to find ways to continue operations.

Gallery hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

The gallery holds a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on the second Friday of each month to provide guests with opportunities to view multi-media contemporary art in an open setting.

Visit www.buckhamgallery.com for more information.

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