The Beginning is in Sight

Today we have almost finalized the "tenant improvements" in the new gallery space and got a date for move-in.  If all goes well, they'll be done on Monday, March 22 (wow!).  In case of hiccups, they only committed to Friday March 26.  We were pretty good in negotiating the package of improvements based on the cap imposed by the landlord.  We got the walls patched, cleaned up, and painted, some structures ripped down, a new wall built, a closet built, a storage rack for art, and a floor covered in 2-part epoxy paint (light gray? what color would you pick?).  

Not perfect, but a good enough to launch the gallery.  Plus, the contractors are building in some upgrades that will let us add things later:  a glass door, move some track lights, a sink.  (Closest water now is in the bathroom one flight up the stairs.)

But even still, with this final design, some of us are second guessing and proposing last minute changes.  I've warned my partners that "change orders" would kill our budget.  What we're getting isn't 100% perfect, but as a friend used to tell me, "don't sacrifice the 'good' for the 'perfect'."  What we have is good enough to launch.  (Edit:  As of March 8, we've changed the plans, but prior to work starting, so no hit on the budget but maybe a hit on the move-in date.  More on that in a later post.)

Now that we have a target date for moving in, now we have to figure out what that means.  Soft launch?  For how long?  Grand gala opening?  When?  What do we publicize and how?  My vote is to do a month-long soft launch with a group show, giving us time to get the kinks out and get some advertising and promotion for a grand gala opening a month later.  The gala opening would be a solo show of an artist that we know is popular in the bay area.  

But this is all up for negotiation.  And now we have only a short time to get the plan together, publicize, and prepare.  Wish us luck!

Next time -- more about my partners and our artists!

P.S.  The previous tenant was a bridal salon.  We have huge mirrors for sale on craigslist!  Ranging from 8 feet x 5 feet to 7 feet x 4 feet.  Perfect for a gym, a dance studio, or a retail space!  (But not perfect for an art gallery -- hard to hang paintings on a mirror...)  


Cheers! 


Updated May 4, 2010 and the mirrors did finally swell on Craigslist.  :-)