A new tiny art gallery is making its debut in Cutchogue next Sunday, Nov. 1 — the Free Little Art Gallery, set up in a bright yellow wooden case on the grounds of the Old Town Arts & Crafts Guild (28265 Main Road, Cutchogue, 631-734-6382).
At this gallery, visitors can not only take a piece of art for free, but they can also leave one for someone else to enjoy.
The Free Little Art Gallery (FLAG) movement is a national campaign that started during the pandemic and has spread across the country, with over 700 community FLAGs and counting. The project encourages members of the community to create and share art, regardless of ability, age or cost.
Darren Mignone, vice president of the Guild, first heard about the idea on Instagram. “I thought, ‘this is a great idea; the Guild should do this,’” he says. “People travel around the U.S. to visit these, and there was an absence of them on Long Island.” As far as Mignone knew, there wasn’t one anywhere on the East End (the closest FLAG to the North Fork is at Gallery North in Setauket).
Mignone brought the idea up during a Guild events planning session and quickly gained the support of the board and members. “It’s something bold and different; a great way to interact with the community,” he says.
Built by members of the Tuesday Crew, a contingent of mostly retired North Fork handymen who volunteer their time and skills to local nonprofit groups, the FLAG measures 4’ x 4’ x 2’. “The box is bigger than I expected,” says Mignone. “It has four different levels and can probably fit 15 to 20 [art] pieces.”
The size limit for artwork is 10” x 10”, in order to leave room for everyone to display their work.
“The whole idea is to exchange art and getting people that might not necessarily think that they are artists to maybe give it a try and put their art out there,” says Mignone.
For now, the FLAG will be open during the Guild’s regular hours: Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Guild is still deciding whether to leave the little gallery accessible around the clock.
Mignone plans to invite local art teachers to get kids involved in the art exchange, and the Guild will continue exploring ways to bring the community in.
The Old Town Arts & Crafts Guild is open from April to December 24; those with questions about the free little art gallery can contact the Guild at 631-734-6382 or Mignone directly at [email protected].
