FAQ

What the heck is this place?
SPACE is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary gallery and performance space in the heart of the arts district in Portland, Maine. Our mission is to present contemporary, emerging and unconventional arts, artists and ideas.

What are your gallery hours?
We are open to the public from 12-6, Tuesday through Saturday, as well as during our events.

Do you mostly show local artists?
No -- in fact, we present more art, music and other genres from regional, national and international artists than we do work from local artists. Our goal is to present the best work we can that might not otherwise be presented in Maine.

Who owns the gallery?
We're a nonprofit organization, managed by a staff and overseen by a board of directors.

How can I find more information about something I saw there?
We try to put relevant links in our event and exhibition descriptions when they're available. Other than that, we don't usually have any information that wouldn't be found online.

Can I bring my class / knitting group / book club / family reunion to visit the gallery? 
Can we come during off hours?
Give us a call and let us know when you'd like to come, and we'll do our best. We're happy to talk with groups about our exhibits or about SPACE itself.

Why are you called SPACE?
Our idea is simple: to provide space for things to happen. Our galleries are raw and flexible, so we're ready for anything from hanging a fishing boat on the wall to filling the room with spaceships in midair. Please note: we're not The SPACE. There are a lot of art spaces named SPACE (or some variation) around the country -- we don't presume to be the only one.

Can you donate use of SPACE for my nonprofit fundraiser?
As a nonprofit ourselves, we understand the need to get help wherever possible. However, our space is our biggest asset, and it's what we use to help fund our low-ticket-price programs. If you would like to hold an event at SPACE, or co-present an event, we'll share the expense as much as we can, but please be prepared to be creative about how to cover the costs of the room.

Do you do private rentals?
Occasionally we rent SPACE to nonprofits, corporate parties or private individuals. Please inquire for more information about cost and availability. We do NOT generally rent SPACE for the booking of public events -- i.e., you can't pay to have your child's band play here.

Can I put my name on your mailing list?
Please do! We have an email list as well as a paper mailing list.

I want to see photos from SPACE event XYZ! Do you have any?
We might! You can check our Flickr page or maybe our blog.

How long has SPACE been open?
SPACE opened to the public in August of 2002.

Do you need new volunteers at SPACE?
Always. We have opportunities for volunteers in all aspects of our work, including but not limited to: music event staff, gallery sitting, door person at films, gallery prep, administrative and many others. More info here.

Can I post my flyer/poster on your board?
Yes, you can. Larger flyers can go on the board next to the main gallery entrance and smaller flyers can go on the shelf.