The Art Gallery of Hamilton is closing the AGH Annex, a satellite location on James Street North that operated as a retail and programming flex space, to focus on core programming and activities at the main gallery.

"It's nothing if not heartbreaking to lose it. We've been fighting hard to kind of find a vision that works for this place," said Tor Lukasik-Foss, director of programs and education at AGH.

Despite trying to make it viable through a variety of approaches, it's expected to close in February, 2018, just five years after opening.

It's nothing if not heartbreaking to lose it. - Tor Lukasik-Foss, director of programs and education at AGH

He said having the Annex "has always been critical," because the gallery's main location on King Street West is not ideal for outreach.

However important the space was to the gallery, the CEO and president Shelley Falconer said the Annex had to close, in part, due to financial restraints.

The gallery also wants to focus on the main site, from its permanent collections to the educational outreach activities. The Annex space was also becoming too small to hold all film presentations.

Now its films are shown at the theatre at the Lincoln Alexander Centre.

"It's just a strategic decision at this point," said Falconer.

Shelley Falconer, CEO and president of the Art Gallery of Hamilton, says the arts identity of James Street North will continue to grow with the rise in arts and culture spaces. (Kirthana Sasitharan/CBC)

Revitalizing James Street North

Falconer said the Annex contributed to the rebirth of James Street as an arts and culture hub during its stay.

But over the years, Hamilton's arts scene has shifted from being on one street to being spread city-wide. From Concession Street to Barton Street, Lukasik-Foss said "it's kind of happening everywhere."

"The whole of the city is rebirthing in a way. Culturally, it started here [on James Street North] and remains to be anchored here maybe a little bit."

The back part of the Annex has served as a flex space for artist talks, dance recitals and film presentations. (Kirthana Sasitharan/CBC)

Beyond brick walls

Even though the physical space will be closed, Lukasik-Foss said the programming and support behind the Annex initiatives won't disappear.

"We can bring that same spirit to the Lincoln Alexander where we run a film or if we run a film in partnership with the Westdale Theatre when it opens," he said, "Everything we've taught ourselves to do is transferrable."

He and Falconer said the legacy of the Annex will be in the partnerships that the gallery has made over the years through projects that happened in the James Street North space.

"We're pushing out in so many ways whether its into the classroom, whether it's into the Lincoln Centre. We think now about moving beyond our brick walls," said Falconer.