Free Little Art Gallery Coming To Brewster COA

BREWSTER – The Brewster Council on Aging is asking the town’s residents to think big — and creatively — but to work small.

That’s because the COA on Sept. 28 will unveil Brewster’s Little Free Art Gallery, to be placed outside the agency’s 1673 Main St. headquarters. 

What is a Little Free Art Gallery? Think of it as a Little Free Library, except for miniature art. 

“It’s like the Little Free Library. Give a book, take a book,” COA Director Elton Cutler said.

The miniature art gallery will be installed next week, in time for the COA’s Monday, Sept. 28 annual celebration of National Good Neighbor Day. 

The gallery will be a box with two windowed doors, about two feet square. A shelf inside will divide the space. It will stand on the COA’s east side, near its entry walkway and community bulletin board.

According to a COA email, there is no need to be a professional artist to contribute to the gallery, because it “belongs to the entire community,” and anyone can submit “a tiny canvas, sculpt a miniature clay figure, sketch a landscape, or write a micro-poem.”

There are guidelines: “Pieces should be no bigger than four by four inches, to ensure there is room for everyone. Two- or three-dimensional pieces are welcome.” And anyone looking at the gallery can “Take a Treasure: If a specific piece speaks to you, you are welcome to take it home to enjoy.”

Brewster artist Carol Marcy was priming the exterior of the box in her living room on a recent visit. She plans purple trim paint for the two glass doors, a rainbow of colors alternating on the horizontal roof slats, and possibly dried flowers under two layers of preservatives around the exterior trim. 

Marcy, who has some of her work on display at the Brewster Ladies’ Library as part of an art show, was happy to volunteer to decorate the miniature gallery.

“I think it’s very exciting,” she said. “I think anything that encourages people to be creative — someone could leave a poem in there, or a drawing or whatever, whether it’s kids or adults. And I think Elton is talking about how it could help the community. It’s the COA, which is a senior center, but it’s opening the door for everybody to come there.”

Cutler said pre-installation Free Little Art Gallery feedback has been positive. 

“We’ve had several artists contact us saying that they’re excited about the idea,” he said. “And that they want to, as local artists, keep the box full, or keep producing art and leave it here.”

If the mini gallery runs low on art, the COA’s in-house art programming can help supply it, Cutler added. “It’s not going to be hard to fill.” 

Jan Crocker, a COA board member and volunteer, brought the idea to the agency’s attention. Cutler said Crocker knew of a successful Little Free Art Gallery in Orleans, and they agreed it would be a welcome addition to Brewster.

This will be the third year Brewster COA has celebrated Good Neighbor Day on Sept. 28, its official date. COA Program Director Annie Rapaport suggested unveiling the mini gallery on that day, and Cutler agreed that it would be a natural fit.

“We thought it would be a good part of celebrating National Good Neighbor Day,” he said. “National Good Neighbor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the people who make our neighborhoods stronger. It reminds us that being a good neighbor can be as simple as offering a helping hand, maybe welcoming someone new to the community, checking in on a neighbor since we have a lot of older adults in the community, or sharing time and talents with each other.”

The Good Neighbor gathering will run on Sept. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. with beverages and light snacks served.

If the opening of the mini gallery that day creates more artwork than will fit in the box, Cutler said any overflow will be displayed inside the COA.

He expects plenty of art is coming the COA’s way. 

“I believe Annie has a few phone calls from local artists who are going to put art in the box,” he said.

Marcy said she hopes younger people make the free mini gallery an “intergenerational” touchpoint, while overall giving people a chance to express themselves. 

“It’s about community, and we need community now more than ever,” she said, adding, “It’s something for the community, and it’s fun.”

Cutler shares the same point of view.

“The Free Little Art Gallery is a wonderful way to bring people together, make art accessible, and celebrate the creativity within our community,” Cutler said. “Holding the opening on National Good Neighbor Day makes the occasion even more meaningful because it reflects the generosity and community spirit that makes Brewster such a special place.”

Anyone with questions about the Little Free Art Gallery can call Rapaport at 508-896-2737. The COA’s website is www.brewstercoa.com.