LIVINGSTON — A touring art group is settling down and opening up a permanent space.
The Staten Island Creative Community, which started in 2008, will open up its first permanent gallery space, called "Art on the Terrace," at 776 Richmond Terrace with the aptly titled exhibit "Home."
"This is kind of our first permanent home," said the group's president Marilyn Kiss. "Our first exhibit is actually called 'Home' because we have one."
The exhibit will feature between 30 and 40 artists exploring the theme of home in various mediums, Kiss said.
Previously, the group took over unleased spaces around St. George to put up temporary exhibits and art events. The shows could run months long — depending on how long the landlord gave them — before they packed up all the pieces and found a new space, Kiss said.
They decided to try to find a permanent home this year after an exhibit was shut down after the Health Department found mold in the host building.
Also, because of expected demand when the New York Wheel opens, Kiss said it's been harder for the group to convince landlords to let them use spaces for free.
"The places down by the Ferry that we were used to using are kind of drying up and waiting for the Wheel," she said.
"Everybody seems to be waiting for the wheel and expecting the whole area to take off, so it became much more difficult for us to make those kinds of deals with the landlords."
The group initially tried to get space around Bay Street in St. George — near where the majority of their previous exhibits were held — but high rent prices in the neighborhood made it impossible to afford, so they found a space at a former thrift store in Livingston and started to move in on Oct. 30.
"We feel very good about this space because we're close to Snug Harbor and around the corner is the little CPG Gallery," Kiss said.
Aside from being able to keep exhibits up as long as they want, the new space gives the group space to store work from previous exhibitions, an outdoor backyard where they'll install a sculpture garden in the warmer months and space for a gift shop with crafts made by local artists.
The group will also host special events like a monthly spoken word and music open mic, rent out the area to local groups and be able to plan long term for art shows, Kiss said.
The opening reception for the inaugural exhibit, "Home," will be on Sat. from noon to 9 p.m. The free gallery will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 2 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
