TEXARKANA, Ark. - Arts on Broad's owners have made the move to join the 1894 Gallery just a couple of blocks away.
Debbie Nicholas, co-owner of Arts on Broad with business partner Kathy Hudson, said she will maintain a separate teaching space there, and the artists who've been showcased at Arts on Broad will now have their art displayed at 1894 Gallery.
Programs like the Arts on Broad After School Art classes that meet at 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays will now be taught at the new space inside the 1894 City Market and 1894 Gallery. Those classes just started this week. Arts on Broad's art classes will remain the same, essentially, but do so at a new place, Nicholas said.
Nicholas said they've basically joined forces with 1894 Gallery. "I still have Arts on Broad. It's more of a classroom makerspace and not a separate gallery," she said, describing it as a merger.
She's had about 10 to a dozen artists showcased at her gallery, and they will now be found at 1894 Gallery, including artists like Agnes Tirrito, Denise Bolster and Jenny Stevens.
Nicholas said because of lease issues they needed to find a new space. They looked all over town at many buildings, but 1894 City Market's David Peavy, she said, offered the space for rent. She also talked with Georgia Hubnik at the gallery itself and started helping there when the need arose.
"They approached us, basically, about just merging rather than having two separate galleries, just become one. My deal was I want a classroom space. As long as I have that, I don't care," Nicholas said.
The longtime high school art teacher, now retired, needs a space for working and teaching.
After School Art runs Wednesday afternoons. With COVID-19, things are a bit slower. "Eventually we're going to broaden it to having some evening classes and everything for adults, and doing parties and stuff like that," Nicholas said.
The Wednesday class for children runs from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. She also has 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. slot available for adults.
To keep in touch with what's going on at Arts on Broad for classes, check out the Arts on Broad page on Facebook.
"Just a different location, same exact thing. Just a new chapter," Nicholas said about the changes.
The 1894 City Market hosts its Second Saturday Trade Days this Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Several artists will participate.
"We are scheduling artists' pop up shops and other events for the coming year," Nicholas said.
(For more information, follow Arts on Broad on Facebook, or call either Debbie Nicholas at 903-278-5868 or the 1894 Gallery at 870-330-5003.)