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Downtown Medford gallery regains financial footing By BILL VARBLE As they were in Mark Twain's case, rumors of The Rogue Gallery and Art Center's demise were greatly exaggerated. A year ago the gallery, a longtime downtown Medford fixture, was mired in a financial crisis officials described as serious enough to force it into closing by the end of the year unless it raised $60,000. About $45,000 was raised over the next six months. Gallery officials blamed several factors for the shortfall: repairs needed on the building at 40 S. Bartlett St., art classes offered at less than the cost of providing them, exhibits and programs that had expanded faster than income, and dwindling returns from old fund-raising sources such as an annual Christmas tree event and a spring art festival. Although the drive fell short, Executive Director Judy Barnes said several factors have since helped get the gallery on firmer footing. The mortgage was finally paid off on the building last month. "We had a mortgage burning," Barnes said Thursday. "We took the note and chopped it up in little pieces and wrapped them around sparklers. Everybody lit theirs and burned a piece of the mortgage." A Carpenter Foundation grant for $32,000 has enabled the gallery to add a new roof on the 6,000-square-foot building. The balance of the grant after the roof goes to exterior paint. A Draw-a-thon Saturday featuring artists such as Frank Rinna of Medford, Steve Bennett of Ashland and Anna Horrigan of Ashland drew 125 people and raised over $2,000. A membership drive boosted membership to about 650, up about 10 percent. An art auction, the gallery's major fund-raiser, is planned for September. The new wrinkle this year is that it will be at the gallery and in the parking lots around it instead of at the Rogue Valley Country Club. If there's a shortfall, it's been in trying to gain support in the business community. "We're trying to increasing membership, especially among small businesses and corporations," Barnes says. "We're putting together some packages to try to get some corporate support." This year is the 40th birthday of the Rogue Valley Art Association, the gallery's parent. The gallery provides art exhibits and a wide array of programs. Attendance has almost doubled in the past decade, from 11,000 visitors to more than 20,000. Basic memberships are $25 for individuals and $40 per family (for information, call 772-8118). Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA