Trading Spaces

When Spaces first moved into its loft home on the Superior Viaduct 24 years ago, the surrounding neighborhood was a blank, albeit rough, canvas, brimming with promise for development. There, Spaces established its home, staging parties at the viaduct's dead-end street and eventually holding a Spaces sign competition that resulted in Xan Palay's permanent rooftop sculpture.

"We were able to think bigger with our projects in this home," says Marilyn Ladd-Simmons, gallery manager at Spaces, which showcases experimental works by established and emerging artists.

Yet, the viaduct has since developed into a mostly residential property, creating limited opportunities for passersby to stumble upon Spaces.

So Spaces is finding a new place and will pay tribute to its longtime home at its annual benefit Nov. 1, Optical Delusions: Last Days on the Viaduct, featuring a silent auction with work from more than 100 artists, some of whom are part of its history at the viaduct.

The organization is actively in lease negotiations for an industrial space at West 29th Street and Detroit Avenue in Ohio City's Hingetown district near the Music Settlement's new Bop Stop campus, the Transformer Station and ICA Art Conservation.

"Being around peer organizations would really help us increase the buzz," says Christina Vassallo, who took the post of executive director in February. "We challenge visitors and our artist audience, and the more people who see it, the more sophisticated we all become in this art ecosystem."

Ultimately, the relocation is part of the creative lifecycle of a thriving organization. "Moving after 24 years is just a natural part of our evolution," Vassallo says.