(Update: This story originally mentioned that in November 2020, the New Zone Gallery opened an annex in the former location of the Smith Family bookstore on East 13th Avenue near the University of Oregon campus, where artists could rent studio space to create, show, and sell their work. The New Zone Gallery Annex has since closed.)

By Randi Bjornstad

Going on 30 years ago, when the artists who started the nonprofit New Zone Gallery cooperative picked their name, they probably had no idea how often they would need to find a “new” place to house it.

And now they’re doing it again. The New Zone will take up residence the beginning of May in a space formerly occupied by a St. Vincent de Paul resale store at the corner of East 11th and Oak streets in downtown Eugene.

Diane Storey Cunningham, president of the Gallery’s board of directors, posted a joyful message on Facebook on March 30:

“New Zone Gallery and Artist’s Cooperative has a new home!” she exulted. “Yesterday we signed a contract with St. Vincent de Paul for their retail space at 110 E. 11th (Ave.). This amazing space is about 4,200 square feet on the corner of 11th and Oak. Exposure is perfect with big windows on two sides and an open floor plan, allowing us to design another great gallery.

“We plan to be open by the May 7th First Friday celebration. Keep your eyes on that space as we transition to our new gallery.

“Thank you, City of Eugene, for two years in our current space,” she continued, “and now to St. Vinnie’s for our new space, helping us keep visual arts alive in downtown Eugene …”

For the past two years, the New Zone had occupied a large space at 22 W. Seventh Ave. — formerly a “gallery” of fine rugs from around the world — from the city of Eugene at well-below-market rent. They knew going in that they would be rousted from the location whenever the city found a new permanent tenant for the space. That happened toward the end of last year, when Connected Lane County, a coalition of school districts and vocational programs, signed on with the city to rent the space. At that point, the New Zone Gallery got a 90-day notice to vacate.

Before that, the gallery had spent a couple of years on Eighth Avenue just west of Charnelton Street, in a former Oregon Liquor Control Commission storefront after the OLCC moved to a much larger space on West 11th Avenue. Previous to that, the New Zone had spent a decade in the middle of downtown Eugene on West Broadway.

How many locations there were before that may be a bit unclear — the art cooperative’s website doesn’t include a detailed history of where all it’s been housed since it first organized in 1983. But the membership group, funded by grants, donations, and commissions from sold artwork, has steadfastly stayed together through the local area’s many economic ups and downs.

Contact the New Zone Gallery

Telephone: 541-683-0759

Online: newzonegallery.org

 

A vacant space at 11th and Oak, formerly a St. Vincent de Paul retail store, will become the New Zone Gallery’s new location in May 2021