Hey everyone,
We’ve got some big news to share about The Art House. After a lot of heart-to-heart discussions, we’ve decided not to continue our lease at 178 Above Bar Street and will be leaving this beloved building at the end of March 2024.
Before we leave, we’ll be creating one final piece of community artwork on the building ‘Art on the House’ – read more here
Everyone here has been pouring their hearts and souls into The Art House for an incredible 15 years, but as time has gone on, the core team have been feeling the pull towards other personal and creative adventures. Running The Art House as a physical space this size is a huge commitment, and it’s time for us to make room for new experiences.
Also, we’ve got to be realistic about the financial side of things. Like many grassroots venues out there, we’ve been feeling the squeeze. Keeping our doors open in a building over two floors is becoming tougher, especially in these challenging economic times. We thought it would get easier over time, but it’s actually the opposite. Expenses have gone up, income has gone down.
Moreover, the support we’ve relied on in the past is harder to come by.
We’ve seen a noticeable drop in volunteers, gig attendees and regular financial backing. Whilst some of you have continued to be extremely generous with your support, we’ve noticed in particular that the many small donations that added up have dropped dramatically over the past year. The funding we could apply for previously just aren’t as accessible as it used to be, either.
But the part that really hits home is that our community, particularly those who are already struggling, are feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis and this has had a direct impact on us as their small donations and patronage that we used to count on have dwindled. It’s been especially tough on those in our community who are marginalised, the very folks we’re passionate about supporting.
But it’s not the end of The Art House story!
Exciting things are on the horizon, even as we say goodbye to our current home. Remember, The Art House is not just about a physical space – it’s about the community and the spirit we’ve built together.
Our beloved community pantry is a priority, and we’re exploring new places to continue this vital service. Our Moving Voices open mic night is going to be, well, moving! We’re also planning to keep our performance events alive in new and exciting places, as well as our online happenings which kept so many going over lockdowns and beyond.
And the ARTlotment isn’t going anywhere – we’ll continue growing and sharing delicious produce and growing ideas from there.
We’re brainstorming about pop-ups and partnerships to keep our vision alive, once we’ve had a chance to take a little breather, so if you’re running a space and fancy teaming up, give us a shout!
We’re fully aware that this news isn’t just sad; for many, it’s going to be really hard to take in. The Art House has been more than just a venue – it’s been a community, a safe space, and a source of joy for so many. We’re announcing this now so that there’s time for us all to come together, to share memories, and to cherish this space while we still can.
We’re committed to keeping the pantry, our groups, and events running up to the last possible date and will confirm our final weekend plans and some special, post-closing events for our Patreon supporters and others very soon. Please make sure you are on our mailing list so you don’t miss this! If you run a group here, we’re going to be in touch over the next couple of weeks to confirm the last available date for the space you use.
Your ongoing support during these last few months is absolutely crucial. It’s not just about paying the bills – it’s about ensuring we can carry on with our mission in new ways once we close these doors. This isn’t just an ending; it’s a transition, and we need to support each other through it.
Every donation over the past year has been a lifeline for our community pantry and the money is spent in real time, so please keep the paid forward drinks, soups and donations coming. We want to find a new home for it and can only do that with your help. We’ll keep our regular supporters in the loop about what’s next!
Our programme up until mid-March is jam-packed, and we’re always adding more. Let’s make these last few months a blast, celebrating everything we’ve achieved together over the last 15 years.
You can show your love right now by booking a ticket – lots of events are on earlybird discount – and making sure you get to come and enjoy some of what’s on offer! We also have an online season ticket, which you can use to watch most of our shows from the comfort of your sofa if you can’t make it in person.
A massive thank you to everyone – our supporters, volunteers, artists, and facilitators. You’ve been the heart and soul of The Art House. A special shout-out to our past Directors, Nina, Devin, and Dave, for navigating us through some choppy waters.
Just a little request – let’s keep the vibes positive. We’re being open about our reasons, and we’re here to answer your questions. Remember, it’s a big change for our team, and while it’s the right move, it’s not without its emotional moments. Let’s support each other through this transition. If you have memories you’d like to share, photos, messages about what the space has meant for you, we invite you to visit or Facebook Group and post them there –
The Art House Southampton | Facebook
With love and gratitude,
The Art House Team
We will be answering questions as they come up by adding some ‘FAQs’ to our blog here and will be sharing news there, too.
FAQs
When will the last day open be?
We have to finalise a few things about when the pantry and cafe close, however our last performance events will be Moving Voices on Friday 15 March and Attila the Stockbroker’s Barnstormer on Saturday 16 March – we anticipate these selling out fast, so grab your tickets soon! There will be a Patreons-and-VIP-only farewell event after that, if you’re on the list we’ll send you an invitation.
What will happen to the groups that meet at The Art House?
We will be chatting to facilitators about last dates and helping with possible new venues for our regular groups and meetups, so that these can continue – we’ll update here as we finalise these plans.
I have a space that can host the community pantry, what do I do?
Please get in touch!
Can I get a memento of the space when you pack up?
Yes! We will be figuring out a way to auction off memorabilia in the coming months, if there is an object you have a particular yearning to own, please let us know and we’ll work something out (unless it’s something we will need in future, of course!).
I want to visit – when are you open?
The community cafe and pantry are open for drop-in drinks, soups and snacks on Wednesday 11am – 3pm,
If I buy a ticket, is my money at risk?
No! We intend to run all of our listed events between here and the end of March, barring unforseen events – our rent is paid up until then, so we will be staying put until the last listed event. We ringfence all ticket takings until an event has happened, so if an event does need to be cancelled, you will get a full refund.
Where are my donations going now?
All donations from Patreon, Buy me a coffee, Paypal, BACS and in-person have, for well over a year now, gone directly to the immediate costs of running the community pantry. We will continue to use the money for this and need support to keep the pantry open, so please keep it coming!
Are you going out of business?
No, we are just leaving our premises, The Art House as a limited company (CIC) will continue, although we will be changing our business model and future plans – we’ll keep you posted as that develops.
What are you doing with all the stuff?
As you can imagine, we won’t need most of the things we have in the building right now for running events in other spaces. We will be holding a fundraising jumble, art, craft, clothes & book sale on Sunday 21 January from 2 – 6pm, a music instrument and equipment sale on Saturday 12 – 4pm, auctioning some memorabilia (watch this space) and selling equipment online. All of these sales will help cover the costs involved in this transformation.
