Culture

Sometimes even walking into a contemporary art space can be a daunting experience. Contemporary art venues have a tendency to feel inaccessible.

However, Glue Gallery and Shop, a new space located on Stafford Street, is designed specifically to address this issue. Having a strong community focus as its foundation, it aims to be engaging with the kind of work it exhibits and sells. Glue gallery is a non-profit arts and music venue, studio space, gallery and shop. The concept for the space came about organically and harmoniously despite the broad range of practices of each of its founders. It was established by a democratic committee of young artists, each with very different practices, who all see the value in creating a space where community accessibility is key. “What we want to do is create a space that can link everybody’s projects together, make them possible and more accessible”. The artists themselves are aiming to produce work which undermines and dismantles the hierarchical divide which exists between forms of ‘high’ art and ‘low’ art. The incorporation of handicrafts challenges traditional value hegemonies. Members of the committee include Kelly O’Shea, Kate Anderson, Lou Clifton, Rachel Blackburn and Motoko Kikiawa.
 
As well as acting as a facilitator of art, Glue gallery will also incorporate and highlight local music, fashion, zines (yesss) and jewellery. Given that that there is a surprisingly large area of the building set aside for studio space, a prevalent feature of Glue is its openness to the process of making. Anybody wishing to become involved as a member or volunteer needs only to have a shared interest in community and donate a koha. Glue is currently being sponsored by MINT independent DVD rentals and intends to host monthly Sunday evening movie nights as fundraisers. The committee is also seeking to establish a community garden in the near future.