There is a palpable, new energy at the Arts at Marks Garage, the urban arts center that almost closed its doors at the end of last year due to financial debt.
With a new title sponsor, the Arts at Marks, at 1159 Nuuanu Ave. in Chinatown, has risen from past challenges with a new mission and full schedule of upcoming exhibits and performances to fill the space.
Dan Fox-Aregger, a retired financial consultant from Honolulu, stepped forward as the title sponsor, and donated $50,000 to the nonprofit in honor of his late wife and artist, Susan Rogers-Aregger. The art gallery will be named after Rogers- Aregger, and unveiled on Friday during First Friday festivities, along with an exhibit showcasing her work.
Rogers-Aregger, who died in July 2017 at the age of 66, was a ceramicist, teacher and mixed media artist specializing in hand-dyed paper collages. She was involved in the Association of Hawaii Artists, Hawaii Craftsmen, Hawaii Potters Guild and other organizations.
“My late wife was really involved in the Arts at Marks Garage in the early days,“ said Fox-Aregger. “She was very active in the arts community here, in a number of different organizations.”
Fox-Aregger said he read about the Arts at Marks’ plight in the Honolulu Star- Advertiser and attended its Mad Hatters tea party fundraiser at Kumu Kahua Theatre on a whim in October.
The community arts center, in Nuuanu since 2001, was in debt. For years, the center has been an incubator for hundreds of artists, and a place to experiment outside of the box.
At the tea party, Fox- Aregger started a conversation with board members including Melissa May, Kim Taylor Reece and others. They met several more times, showed him the accounting books, and he decided to go ahead with his sponsorship.
“We needed all the pieces to fall into place, and they did, just in time,” said May. “Meanwhile, we got new support streaming in from the community. It’s a new year, new Arts.”
May said the center’s emphasis is on being a platform that connects the community with art.
Another key development is that the center has hired Matthew Kelty as its executive director.
Kelty, who has experience in nonprofit arts, was recommended by Kumu Kahua Theatre director Donna Blanchard, who had stepped in as interim director at Arts for two years. Kelty is a lecturer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s theater and dance department, and a doctoral student in Asian Theatre.
“We love that the gallery will be named after an artist who was deeply involved with the Hawaii art community and who cared so much about The Arts at Marks Garage,” said Kelty in a news release. “Dan’s substantial gift, born out of his deep love for his wife, will allow Arts@Marks to simultaneously celebrate our past and plan for our future.”
The center’s goals, he said, will be to continue serving as an incubator for emerging and existing artists, as well as to strengthen the theater community. He hopes to bring back art classes for keiki and adults.
“I really want to see us evolve into a hub, not just for Hawaii but for the Pacific region, and internationally as well,” said Kelty.
In memory of Susan, Fox-Aregger also has contributed a new kiln to the Hawaii Potters’ Guild, where she would often fire her ceramic works. He also has established the Susan Rogers-Aregger Memorial Collage and Clay Foundation to fund study in the visual arts.
Proceeds from the sale of any work at the gallery will go directly to the foundation.
May said with the title sponsorship, the center has “a very realistic path to a sustainable model.” In addition to some significant, one-time donations, thenonprofit received numerous, small donations, she said.
The “1,001 Friends” campaign, a monthly donor program launched to help save the center last year, will continue.
There also are now seven board members, up from three in December. May said the center is still open to a title sponsor for the theater, if anyone is interested.
“It was just lovely to see how everybody stepped in, in their own way,” said May. “All of this came about because of a confluence of those efforts … I feel like it’s just going to have momentum from here.”
OPENING RECEPTION
An opening reception will be held to dedicate the Susan Rogers- Aregger Gallery:
>> When: 6 p.m. Friday
>> Where: Arts at Marks, 1159 Nuuanu Ave.
>> More info: artsat marks.org
