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Grantee: Avenue West Gallery and Aaron Smith

Project Title: Avenue West Operational Support & Mural by Aaron Smith
Year awarded: 2020, Round 2

SAGA support will provide an operational grant to counteract recent pandemic challenges to Avenue West, as well as fund an Aaron Smith mural on the gallery’s western exterior wall.

COVID-19 has introduced multiple challenges for Avenue West Gallery, including lost commissions from gallery sales, and for existing members who can no longer cover their fees:

Although they have been completely understanding and supportive, it is a lot to ask of our membership to keep paying fees without opportunities for sales.

Avenue West’s grant will also provide funding for local artist Aaron Smith to creat a 20′ x 13′ outdoor mural with a Spokane theme, visible from Monroe Street. His iconic mural design  for the gallery’s west exterior wall consists of a kayaker navigating river rapids. This image of Spokane will catch the eye of travelers on Spokane’s Monroe Street and encourage them and others to stop by Avenue West Gallery. Smith commonly produces pieces featuring the city’s landscapes, but this will be his first mural. SAGA will allow Smith’s work to come to life on a larger scale and remind viewers of the many outdoor sports that are a feature of this region.