Uki Chappell stood on the pavement of 21st Street two weeks ago, gazing inside the storefront.
Gallerie Ukwensi, his independent art gallery in Ghent, had new locks, and, until recently, he was without a key.
After seven years in business, Gallerie Ukwensi closed earlier this month. Last March, nearby Gallery 21 also shut down after nine years. The abrupt closings, along with feedback from local art center directors and artists, reflect the challenges posed by the economic uncertainty and reduced funding for the arts under President Donald Trump.
On the first day of his presidency, Trump signed an executive order dismantling the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, an advisory committee that had been in place since 1982 to preserve and protect the arts. The National Endowment for the Arts, which is at risk of elimination, has been forced to rescind grant funding.
Tricia Hudson, executive director at d'Art Center in Norfolk, said while attendance at events and summer camps is encouraging at the center, not as much discretionary income is being spent on art as in the past.
"Sales are steady, but we're seeing them at lower price points," Hudson said. "And some of the more fine art, whether it's $2,000 or $5,000, isn't moving as frequently as it has in the past. We're seeing steady movement in the $300 to $600 space."
Partnering with other organizations has been key in the last six months, Hudson said. The center's multiple partnerships include the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Virginia Opera and the Girl Scouts.
"A lot of us share donors and supporters," Hudson said. "It's important for us to be able to partner when there's an opportunity and the synergy is there."
Smaller, independent galleries can't do that as easily.
Chappell opened his gallery to help nontraditional artists show their work. When the abstract artist moved to Hampton Roads from Hawaii, he scoped the art scene and found it too conservative for his liking.
“There were other types of art and artists who needed a voice,” he said.
The gallery at 424 W. 21st St. began hosting First Saturday events, which showcased an artist's new work in a festive setting, incorporating performing and spoken word arts, as well as wine and champagne.
“First Saturdays brought together many different types of people from all walks of life,” Chappell said. “Even though people have different ideals, different religious and political beliefs, we all have that one thing in common. We can love the same painting and have a conversation about it.”
Chappell weathered ups and downs but none as bad as the last six months. First Saturday attendance declined starting in April, as art sales plummeted. He equates both to the change in presidential administration.
“With Trump in, everybody is just uncertain,” he said.
Chappell struggled to make consistent rent payments, along with the added late fees that amount to roughly $8,000. He and building owner Dave McDonald recently worked out a payment agreement that allows Chappell access to the building to retrieve his art and that of other artists. Chappell started a GoFundMe to raise $20,000 to cover expenses and launch a new gallery.
"Ukwensi had a good run," McDonald said, "and I wish he could stay."
Clayton Singleton had his own wall at Gallerie Ukwensi.
When he heard the news of the closing, the first word that came to mind was 'scary.'
“There are only a few galleries that have sustained in all the years I’ve been doing it," he said.
Post-pandemic, Singleton said, the arts community was hungry to attend events. The Norfolk native, who describes his work as realist expressionism, said the tide turned with the recent and ongoing layoffs of many government workers and a reluctance to buy because of the economy’s unpredictability.
He referred to the First Saturday events as an art gallery’s open mic, a place for sorely needed mentorship and fellowship.
“Arts thrive in the idea, not just the execution,” Singleton said. “A lot of the other establishments are execution based. Ukwensi’s space was idea-based. It was about the artist, not just the art.”
Margaret Foltz, executive director of the Virginia Beach Art Center, referred to Gallerie Ukwensi’s openings as “legendary. He was committed to presenting over and above the visual arts.”
Foltz also referred to Gallery 21 as a landmark among the region's art galleries. The Virginia Beach Art Center, she said, is holding steady in terms of sales, but its art classes remain a huge draw and steady income.
Raeesah Islam, founder of Utopia Feni, a Virginia Beach nonprofit that supports artists, held a fundraiser last month that helped her keep her space in Kempsville. She is turning to other service providers, such as massage therapists and tattoo artists, to operate inside her business to attract more foot traffic.
“Right now, we are holding on long enough to make it through,” she said.
Fiber/mixed media artist Rowena Finn is in the early stages of establishing a nonprofit to serve as an umbrella organization to support artists through grants and professional development. Ideally, it would provide emergency funding in a pinch, studio space for rent, funds to apply for juried shows and more.
“There’s so many art organizations in the area,” she said. “They all address different aspects, but nothing is really focused on helping artists succeed in this area, let alone statewide.”
Finn recently received the Virginia Beach Individual Artist Grant, a new funding source from the City Council dedicating a portion of the amusement tax to support the arts. She would like all the Hampton Roads cities to collaborate to support artists.
“The money is there, but I feel like it’s hiding,” she said. “That’s another problem for artists. It is very difficult for us to network and make connections with people who can make a difference for us.”
Rowena Finn sits on WHRO’s Community Advisory Board, which is not involved in editorial decisions.
