05 Sep Coaster Show 2022 Is Cancelled
Or at least postponed for the time being…
As the calendar year turned from 2021 to 2022, I was informed by our landlord that the building which housed Gallery 30 South in Pasadena was going to be sold. Since the previous year had been filled with numerous cancellations due to Covid, I had stopped booking exhibitions more than a couple of months ahead in anticipation of ever-changing California municipal codes, new information from the CDC, and the fickle art-world economy. By mid-March it became apparent that our landlord had found a buyer and the probability that the rent would be increasing or that the gallery would be facing eviction was now a foregone conclusion. Sales had been consistently strong throughout the pandemic, but on April 30th the gallery doors would close.
The 30 S. Wilson Ave. address (and the great relationship we had enjoyed with our landlord and neighbors) was a big part of what made this gallery possible. For those of you who don’t know, my apartment was directly across the street making my commute to work one of the all-time easiest. I was a founding member of the Green Street Village Historical Business District, and over the last decade and a half my roots were pretty securely planted in Pasadena to the point that my life consisted mostly of ten city blocks. In that same time period my apartment rent had been increasing yearly –well past the average monthly mortgage. When it became clear that the gallery would have to move, it made sense to move dwellings, too. Once I entertained the notion of leaving southern California, the lower cost of living elsewhere basically made the decision for me.
I was sincerely hoping to host the 10th Anniversary Coaster Show this year in my new hometown of Las Vegas. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts and other factors, it pains me to announce that there will be no Coaster Show this year.
Ten years is undeniably a milestone, and having to skip it is a great disappointment, but I have not abandoned hope of bringing it back next year. The Coaster Show is one of my favorite exhibitions and the chance to host it annually as a means of showcasing new talent and reconnecting with the many artists who returned year-after-year was incredibly gratifying. That makes it vital to find the right home for the next iteration.
My timing in arriving in Vegas and then a litany of factors beyond my control (including a month-and-a-half bout with long-Covid) made it impossible to hit a deadline in this calendar year. So I have suspended submissions until I am confident that I have found the right space to accommodate this show –which has become so important to the thousands of artists who have participated over the years. Thanks to all of them and to all our patrons for their enormous support.
Until a new space is secured, I will continue to host a series of virtual exhibitions on this site and broaden the scope and frequency of my museum curations, which will also be announced on this site and via the Gallery 30 South newsletter –so keep your subscription!
Sincerely,
Matt Kennedy
PS:
THAT SAID, WE HAVE COASTERS FROM PAST SHOWS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE NOW