Galleries at WORK_SPACE
Supporting and Showcasing Local ArtistsAbout the Galleries
The Galleries @ WORK_SPACE make up 1/3 of WORK_SPACE, the Town of Manchester’s Coworking, Meeting & Gallery space in the heart of Downtown. The Galleries consist of the Main Street Gallery (a traditional gallery space), the Loop Gallery (the space connecting the offices and meeting rooms on the first floor), the Creative Commons (a community space for members and guests with private offices, open spaces, kitchen, multi-purpose meeting rooms and a digital story studio) and a Gallery Shop.
Prior to 2019, the art spaces were overseen by Manchester Community College, now as part WORK_SPACE which sees art and innovation as tools for social change, the mission of the Galleries is to:
- explore and celebrate diversity
- promote and foster inclusion
- showcase and inspire creativity
- provoke and challenge thought
- highlight and expand perspectives
- create a network of creative people that would not otherwise share ideas, outlooks, resources and relationships.
WORK_SPACE is a flexible and multi-purpose space with multiple venues that can be used for creative workshops, live performances, digital recordings, and artisan pop-ups.
The Gallery Shop
An idea that started during the pandemic in 2020, the Galleries wanted a place for artists to not only share works in our exhibits but also share merchandise related to their work and style. The shop features many handcrafted goods from mugs, magnets, books, earrings, cards and more.
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday 10am-4pm
2nd Saturdays 10am-2pm
3rd Thursdays 6:30-9pm Monthly Listening Room/Open Mic
*Closed on Federal Holidays
Become A Gallery Member Today!
Gallery Member Art & Merch Submission
IN THE MAIN STREET GALLERY
Featuring artists from *MARC, Inc. and winners of the bicentennial photo contest: WEEK IN THE LIFE OF MANCHESTER. Since 1952, *MARC, Inc. has been providing opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead meaningful lives of independence, choice, inclusion, and continuous personal growth.
“This art show is special because it truly represents the diversity, heritage, and vibrant spirit of Manchester. If you are open to feeling it, this exhibit will be an immersive experience that reflects the very heartbeat of the city.” – Traé Brooks, Co-Curator
CREATIVE COMMONS
We enjoy building relationships with local artists and displaying their work on a rotating basis in the meeting spaces on the 1st & 2nd floors and throughout The CREATIVE COMMONS that hosts our collaborative coworking spaces. When not being used for a themed show, this space is reserved to display the work of our Creative Community Members. If you are interested in learning more about our Galleries and membership, please call: 860.647.3168, email: info@workspacemanchester.com and/or scroll down.
Currently we are featuring
In Our Loop Gallery:
In Our Creative Commons
Fuad Khaligov
Athira Sanal & Bina Nair
Pam Adamski
Bethany Terzi
The Wit & Wisdom Poetry Club of Manchester is a chapter of the Connecticut Poetry Society. The Club meets at the Manchester Historical Society at 175 Pine Street from 1-3 PM on the second Saturday of each month. New members are welcome!
For additional information, contact President Victoria Dubiel at victoria.dubiel@hotmail.com or Susan Nedd at susanonedd1@mac.com.
POEM OF THE MONTH: Thanksgiving Table by Linda Maselli Richardson (click to read)
Little faces with toothpaste smiles
Gather like olive branches
Tiny fingers touch the linen cloth
staring at the silverware
That begs to be used.
Uncle C taps the crystal water glass with a spoon
The chime rings out; everyone looks up ─
Mama carries the bronzed bird
To the table on a large white platter ─
An art sculpture to be admired.
Mouths water
The aroma of turkey fills the room
Everyone is hungry and thirsty─
Grandpa and Great Aunt Jean
Knowing this day is a reason to be grateful.
My brothers wait for the Thanksgiving prayer ─
Each staring the other in the eye
To see who gets the drumsticks.
Excited that the orange pumpkin is now a pie
Turkey and stuffing are still the main events.
Laughter and family stories fill the room
Ancestors linger
Leaving us heirlooms of hope.
________________
BIO: Linda Richardson lives in Bolton, Ct. She is a long-time member of the Wit & Wisdom Poetry Club of Manchester, a chapter of the Connecticut Poetry Society.
Freedom of Want – Three generations circle the table, World War I and World War II.
Memories of a large family still exist in our hearts today.
PAST EXHIBITS & VIRTUAL GALLERIES
Art of Pride
Showcasing artwork that reflects LGBTQ+ pride and resilience and what it means to live as authentic and uncompromised selves. To see some samples of the work, go to: https://bit.ly/Pride2022promoshttps://bit.ly/Pride2022promos
Perspectives of Home
The Galleries @ WORK_SPACE in partnership with EPOCH (Engaged, Public, Oral and Community Histories in the History Department at UConn) are coordinating an Art Exhibit with companion programs that explore how where we live impacts who we are, our feelings of belonging and our sense of place. Through archival research, in-depth interviews, community conversations and an art exhibit with didactic wall panels, Perspectives of Home will highlight the many threads woven into the story of Manchester, CT’s historic evolution from a mill town to a vibrant, diverse and thriving community including the inequitable opportunities that exist for its citizens.
artwork by: Naomi Nevo Ben Ari (https://www.naominba.art/)
OCTOBER SYNCHRONICITY
October 1 – 22, 2021
Special After Party: October 9 (6:30p-8p) no RSVP required
Connecticut artists Hunter Pedane and Phillip LeBlanc combine their talent and blend their different mediums to harness the earth’s natural beauty, texture, movement and energy to bring us this unique exhibit.
Staycation
We often neglect to be tourists in our own backyard, missing experiences that others seek out. There aren’t many silver-linings to quarantine, but one could be our enhanced appreciation of all things local. Local businesses, local parks, local walking trails, local Instagram-worthy sights. This exhibit will feature all types of art that features the activities, landscapes and moods of our recent staycations when we entertained ourselves within and close to our homes.
Inspiration: Blank Canvas Show 2022
ART IN ACTION
August 13, – Sept. 24, 2021
A diverse array of images created by young CT artists ages 13-19 about their experiences and emotions in 2020. This exhibit was produced by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. To see the virtual exhibit on their website, click here.
More than 30 New England artists submitted close to 100 pieces that illustrate the toll that addiction takes on our physical, mental and behavioral health as well as our familial relationships and communal well-being. Although this exhibit does not aspire to solve the systemic failures and public stigma associated with addictive behaviors, we aim to create a hospitable space for those in the midst of its trauma or having already come through the other side, to share their story through art and conversation.
Please join us at one of our Gallery events or during our regular hours to view this free exhibit. Contact us to arrange group tours or to host events in the Gallery. Contact galleries@workspacemanchester.com or 860.647.3168 for more info.
JUNETEENTH
fresh stART
Perspectives of a Pandemic
Gallery Members
Tom Andrea Evan Seide Lou Sorrentino Linda Blakesley Doreen Stern Kathleen Telesco Nakeia Herbert
Carolyn Brooks-Burton Yolanda Creal Lisa Ducharme John Hoffman Tosha Jenkins Julianna Kristoff
Basia Salek Robert Thiesfield Melanie Askew Mary Ann Francis Lori Barker Kasey Quaglia
Daniel Nichols Kevin Michael Olsen Mark Tegtmeier Carol Gould Sharon Quaglia Jeffery Balzejovsky
Donnamarie Nakos Olusanya Bey Donna Faust Ren Pu Maria Dillon Crystal Valladares Fuad Khaligov
Adis Halilovic Bethany Terzi Chris Todd Deb Bates Athira Sanal Bina Nair Jose Marcos Abby Dijon
Claudine Purdue Ashley Hyatt
Get Started
Contact WORK_SPACE to get started with a free day pass and tour, coworking, hosting a meeting, hosting an event, and much more.