by Andy Lyons, Editor-in-Chief
A new gallery has opened in Warrensburg along Holden Street, giving a home to the Warrensburg Arts Collective. Jay Linhardt and Anne Steinbrunn have come together to open The Gallery Artist Cooperative at 111 N. Holden St., the former home of the Gann Gallery.
The team of Linhardt and Steinbrunn has big plans for the space, catering to local artists and creators in the Warrensburg area.
“We’re going to, first and foremost, maintain the gallery aspect of it,” Linhardt said. “We are going to change that a little bit, to where we’re featuring multiple local artists that are constantly rotating instead of one big art show a month. We’re also going to have a retail section in the front, featuring local artisans, crafters, and the like.”
Steinbrunn said she plans to reach out to the Warrensburg Farmer’s Market to include locally made products such as soaps and candles. Linhardt also said there are plans to include music accessories and art supplies at a reasonable price because there aren’t any stores in Warrensburg that retail them anymore.
The Gallery will also include studio space for local artists.
“A portion of the facility is going to be set aside for artists in resident,” Linhardt said. “At this point it looks like we’ll have two of them, both are members of the Warrensburg Arts Collective. They have studio space set aside where they can create art in their own studio space downtown.”
The partnership stems from a 20-year friendship between Linhardt and Steinbrunn. The two met when Steinbrunn owned The Gallery, which was an art gallery located above where Café Blackadder is now. The new gallery is named after Steinbrunn’s, with the Artist Cooperative pointing to the work both Linhardt and Steinbrunn do as organizers of the Warrensburg Arts Collective.
Both are focused on using the space for local artists, rather than turning big profits. Steinbrunn said pieces sold through the gallery will collect a minimum commission used to maintain the building and utilities, but that the focus of the venture is supporting the artists.
The plans for The Gallery Artist Cooperative include having resident artists and crafters working in the front of the store, so passersby can see the art being created through the front window, as well as retail space and artist work areas inside.
There are more plans in the works, including special events and an online store. The Gallery Artist Collective hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with evening hours to be announced. For more, follow The Gallery Artist Cooperative on Facebook here.