PICTON \\ PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY \\ ONTARIO
This spring sees the 5th anniversary of the opening of 2gallery. In that time, we have created a solid reputation of being one of the finest galleries in Prince Edward County – featuring a selection of extremely talented artists that we are very proud to exhibit. “I love the curatorial focus and accessibility of this gallery.” are words we consistently hear from visitors. We've hosted innovative and beautiful solo, duo and group shows. We've created a beautiful space that has welcomed the community, hosting numerous special events, concerts, artist talks, wine tastings, learning sessions and been a venue for the Jazz and Chamber Music Festivals, and Regent Theatre events. The 2gallery team – myself, Craig Daniel, Natalie Piper and our graphic designers, web and social media providers, framers and local suppliers – are all very proud of what has been accomplished.
All of which has made the decision to close the bricks and mortar gallery in Picton an extremely difficult one. Economics is the sole driving factor behind this decision, prompted by the end of our current lease of the space.
Business disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently a deteriorating economy has clients spending less – particularly on discretionary items like fine art. This is no surprise to artists, galleries and others in the arts and culture sectors. 2023 saw a dip in tourism visitors to Prince Edward County of 30% affecting countless businesses here, including ours. The economic outlook for 2024/25 is far from rosy. A further investment in building a business during good economic times can be a profitable strategy, however it takes time to recover initial and continuing costs - when faced with multi-year negative economic effects.
We are looking towards the future. I’d like to announce 2gallery reimagined. We are currently developing marketing strategies to focus on an online gallery, pop-up shows, guest curatorial services, and other creative opportunities. These will take time to develop, however we are excited about the future possibilities. Stay tuned!
Finally, a huge thank you to all our artists, who for the past five years have made the gallery such an extraordinarily beautiful place to visit.
With thanks to our loyal gallery clientele, art lovers, visitors and friends...
Jim Turner
Gallery Director
\\ HOURS AND CONTACT
The gallery is open by appointment only until mid-March 2024, as we wind down operations at our bricks and mortar location. Please feel free to contact us at info@2gallery.ca or at 613.920.2000.
In the meantime, all work seen on our website is available. Enjoy.