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    Riffe Gallery To Remain Open After Talk of Closure

    Late Friday afternoon, some emails were circulating in the local arts community expressing concern about the possible closure of the Riffe Gallery, located at 77 South High Street. The Gallery, established in 1989, is one of the premiere spaces to see the work of Ohio artists, as managed and maintained by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC).

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    “It has come to my attention, through a local Columbus artist, that the Ohio Arts Council Board will likely vote to close the Riffe Gallery at their regularly scheduled meeting on July 22,” stated Tom Katzenmeyer, President of the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) in a community email. “I did not want you to learn about this after the vote has taken place.”

    Katzemeyer went on to say that the closure of the gallery would be “an embarrassment for Downtown Columbus” in light of the recent budget increase at OAC, as well as the launch of a new arts marketing campaign led by GCAC.

    “GCAC was directly and significantly involved in the advocacy efforts to increase the OAC budget,” added Katzenmeyer. “I stood up and testified on behalf of the OAC and would do so again. I believe strongly in their mission and I believe the Riffe Gallery is the public face of that mission.”

    Kazenmeyer’s email mentioned that the closure of the Riffe Gallery was being recommended by OAC’s Executive Committee, who voted on June 9th to put the closure to a vote at the larger July 22nd Board Meeting. Katzenmeyer stated that the GCAC Board was not taking a position on the issue, but he was appealing as an individual for the community to write letters of support for the Riffe Gallery, addressed to Donna Collins, Executive Director of the Ohio Arts Council.

    That approach seems to have worked. And quickly.

    On Saturday, July 18th, the Ohio Arts Council issued a press release stating that the Riffe Gallery will remain open.

    “The Riffe Gallery will continue to be managed by the OAC and its partners, with the goal of engaging Ohio artists and investing in the state’s creative sector,” stated OAC Board Chair Jeffrey Rich in the release. “The Riffe Gallery is a celebrated part of the OAC’s history and has been an important contributor to advancing the agency’s mission of strengthening the arts in Ohio.”

    The release states that the vote to close the gallery has been removed from the July 22 agenda, and no future revisitation of the issue is planned. Instead, the group will amply efforts to market the space as a center for the arts in Ohio and Columbus.

    “We will launch creative practices, forge innovative partnerships, and reaffirm our support of Ohio artists to ensure the gallery is successful for years to come,” said Collins.

    For more information, visit riffegallery.org.

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    Walker Evans
    Walker Evanshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Walker Evans is the co-founder of Columbus Underground, along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
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