Gallery Spotlight: The Gallery at Central
Can you tell us about your space, mission, and what folks will encounter when visiting?
The Gallery at Central was recently renovated, with significant improvements to lighting and overall design, to enhance the experience for both artists and art lovers. Both have been incredibly complimentary about the improvements to the space. Our mission is to highlight local artists and expose their works not only to our church community, but also to the larger Providence community. When people visit The Gallery, they will encounter a light, bright space, that exhibits the work of a local artist or artist group, both established and emerging talent, representing a wide variety of styles and media – a different exhibit every month.
Do you have a favorite Gallery Night memory or moment that stands out?
We have just begun our relationship with Gallery Night Providence, but what stands out is the level of interest in art from Gallery Night visitors. It is rewarding to see them meet and speak with our exhibiting artists and especially when they purchase works from these artists, many of whom would not otherwise be known to them.
How did you first connect with Gallery Night and decide to become a Partner Gallery?
As Providence residents, we have known about Gallery Night since its inception. With our new and improved venue, our committee wanted to explore taking our gallery openings to the next level. I approached some friends – Greg Kniseley and Susie Dorr, members of the Art in the Atrium at the First Unitarian Church – about their experience with Gallery Night and attended one of their openings. Seeing firsthand how another church handled Gallery Night helped our committee decide to participate. We’ve started out slowly, committing to three Gallery Nights, to gauge both the interest in our artists, as well as the ability of our volunteers to staff these evenings.
What are you most excited for visitors to experience this season?
We hope that visitors appreciate not only The Gallery space, but also the diversity and talent of the artists we showcase. In addition, we hope that visitors enjoy the welcoming nature of our open and affirming community at Central Congregational Church.
Contact: Donna Templeton, Chair of the Gallery Committee
(401) 829-6895 [email protected]