DUMBO — A group of galleries at 111 Front St. are being relocated to street-level spaces throughout the neighborhood, including the recently vacated Galapagos Art Space, in a major shakeup for the neighborhood art scene.
The landlord, Two Trees Management, owns several properties in the neighborhood and is a huge proponent of the arts, even giving the St. Anne's Warehouse theater free rent in one of its buildings for nearly a decade.
“The galleries will take over retail spaces on Plymouth Street and we are converting the former Galapagos building,” Lisa Kim, the director of cultural affairs at Two Trees, told arts website Hyperallergic.
“This street-level presence will be a big move for the galleries and we’re excited to be able to make this happen.”
The relocation of the 10 galleries at 111 Front Street galleries is an attempt to make art more accessible to community.
Minus Space, United Photo Industries, Todd Masters and Klompching Gallery are headed to the former Galapagos Art Space, which recently moved to Detroit. The space is currently being converted into four separate areas.
Feminist nonprofit A.I.R. Gallery, which has been at 111 Front for eight years, is headed to 155 Plymouth St., where Zaka Bookstore is currently located. The bookstore plans to move a few doors down.
"There is basically a shuffling of arts organizations and businesses in the neighborhood," said Jaqueline Ferrante, Associate Director at A.I.R. Gallery. "We are really excited about the move and hope it brings more foot traffic and community involvement in our programs."
Stephen Romano Gallery is eaded to 145 Plymouth St., where independent book publisher Melville House, is currently located — and Romano raved about the opportunity.
"It's a groundfloor storefront — that is every gallery's dream," he said. "It is wholly due to the Two Trees's support for arts and culture in DUMBO."
Brooklyn Arts Council, which has been at 111 Front St. for a decade, is moving to 20 Jay St. It is unclear where Kunsthalle Projects, Folioleaf and Sculptors Guild will relocate.
Minus Space Founder Matthew Deleget said the move is a win for arts and culture as a whole in the neighborhood — and he is looking forward to more visitors.
"You'd be surprised how hard it is to get people up a flight of stairs," he said.
It is unclear what will happen to the second floor of 111 Front Street. Two Trees could not be immediately reached for comment.
