Changes at the Art Kettle

121 W. Main Street which currently houses the Art Kettle has been placed up for sale as the Art Kettle looks to expand its venues

Riverfolk Music and Arts Organization announced this weekend that effective April 10th, 2019, the Art Kettle and Riverfolk Music and Arts Organization are restructuring their working arrangement to better meet their respective goals.

Riverfolk explained in a press release that “the Art Kettle is expanding to collaborate with a variety of arts communities and spaces in Southeast Michigan” and “in order to optimize resources for future projects, the Art Kettle has put up their building at 121 W. Main Street for sale.”

The Art Kettle became official last June and announced they were turning the historic Fargo House, on the corner of Washington and Main Streets into a community arts center and artist residency. They opened their doors after months of work on the building in September with an exhibit featuring local artists called Manchester Ties. They next featured the exhibits Womanhouse, Emerging Artists | Artist Emerging, and Fantastical Botanicals, as well as holding a Yule Ball, artist talks, poetry readings and workshops. 

The Art Kettle plans to continue to carry out arts programming at its Manchester location until the property changes hands. Their next scheduled offering are Horizon, the work of Margaret A Miller and Laura Earle and a portraiture workshop by visiting instructor Tim Widener July 27-28.

The building located at 121 W. Main Street had been previously zoned residential but was rezoned business at the Art Kettle’s request last summer.

Riverfolk stated, “Riverfolk will continue to seek out opportunities to enrich the cultural lives of Manchester community members by securing funding and artists to engage with our residents. Future Art Kettle programming in Manchester may partner with Riverfolk for potential musical performances.”

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.