New Contemporary Art Gallery Opens In Old Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — A new 1,000-square-foot contemporary art gallery in Old Greenwich hopes to bring the community closer while impacting children through the arts.

Located at 260R Sound Beach Ave., ART06870 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 23 to celebrate its grand opening. The gallery soft-opened in May.

"The gallery focuses on contemporary art across an array of disciplines with a mission to showcase exceptional artists creating introspective, unique work," according to a news release from the gallery. "The gallery brings together artists, collectors and benefactors with exhibitions, events and collaborations to create an expansive vibrant community built on the belief that art is more than a commodity and vital to the way it makes us feel and the message it conveys about us and our community."

The gallery will feature monthly exhibitions and events, and periodic installations in conjunction with the "Project Space" at the working studio for co-owners Michael Manning and Ben Quesnel. Manning has had a studio in the building for about two years.

The Project Space is seen as "an incubator for ideas, installations and collaborative projects giving artists an opportunity to share new ideas, concepts and work."

ART06870’s first exhibition —titled "Off the Wall" — is housed in the Project Space, and features a diverse group of about 14 artists. Art pieces are either displayed from the ceiling or up from the floor, with nothing on the walls.

ART06870 will also serve as a unique headquarters for the Developing Artist Program along with photographer/architectural designer and gallery co-owner Christian Salvati.

Manning, a Greenwich resident, told Patch that the gallery is currently filing for nonprofit status, and periodic events will then benefit kids' art programs in town, like at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich. Manning has already done some work with the club.

"What this will do is some of the artists will come in, and other community organizations will put on workshops that will be free for the kids in town. It's really a complete circle," Manning explained. "The artist will get to show their work, but then some of the proceeds will fund programming for kids and artists in the community."

The Developing Artists Program was made possible with a grant from the Greenwich Alliance for Education, CT Office of the Arts (COA), and the National Endowment for the Arts, Manning said.

ART06870 can trace its roots to exhibitions and events in the early 2000s. About a year ago, ART06870 held its first public pop-up events in the Hamptons. The group was looking for a permanent gallery in Chelsea in Manhattan before the Old Greenwich space became available.

Manning said the reaction from the community to the gallery so far has been amazing.

"It's a surprising space, partially because you don't expect it," Manning said. "It's not a real traditional looking gallery... It gives you this kind of urban feel. It has a certain quality to it that's unique."

The goals of the gallery are simple yet impactful.

"This is really about exceptional art and community at the same time," Manning noted.

For more information on current or upcoming exhibitions at ART06870, go to their website.