Click Here for a slide show of interactive art galleries in Baton Rouge
 
Baton Rouge art galleries have started evolving from quiet, museum-like buildings to multifunctional spaces that satisfy the needs of young up-and-coming creators and appreciators.
 
Incorporating different elements like merchandise, workshops, events and projects, the local art scene has much to offer enthusiastic visitors.
 
Art seekers are looking for an experience with art that a museum or traditional gallery can sometimes alienate, but new galleries are using openings and events to encourage people to get out and embrace the whole interaction, said Maureen Joyce, marketing coordinator for The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.
 
“Art is thriving,” Joyce said. “It is the economic livelihood for many artists in our community and many outside of it.”
 
Look Studios and Gallery on Perkins Road, which opened June 1, is a business that both showcases art and provides lessons for children and adults.
 
“There has been an outpouring of gratitude and support from the community since I’ve opened here,” said Juliet Lockwood, owner of Look Studios and Gallery. “I’ve gotten a big thumbs-up from all the artists and neighbors who are excited to see that I’m building culture into the neighborhood.”
 
Lockwood said opening and running the business has been a worthwhile time commitment, and marketing with the help of technology has been an important part of spreading the word and generating interest.
 
“It feels like everyone is getting their hands in there. People who used to do art, people who have never done art and people who have been thrown off the path are all coming back,” Lockwood said. “We are an all-inclusive type of gallery.”
 
Another space dedicated to helping artists and widening the community is Bricks and Bombs, a small gallery and office on Hearthstone Drive for designer and illustrator Brad Jensen.
 
Jensen needed a place to run his design and clothing businesses but decided to take advantage of having his own space to give small-scale artists an opportunity to show off work in a formal environment.
 
“I just charge artists to rent the space, and it benefits myself as well as the artists by letting me keep prices low for those who come out to see,” Jensen said. “It’s also a fairly affordable way to throw a party or event.”
 
Bricks and Bombs also sells T-shirts, stickers and items from Jensen’s ICON brand of graffiti, examples of which can be seen on various surfaces around the city.
 
“Getting word out about something for the business takes time and effort to do. It takes preparation — word of mouth helps a lot,” Jensen said. “I’m always looking for new people to do something cool, and we try to hold an event once a month or every other month.”
 
A project sponsored by arts organization Culture Candy called SurrealEstate has also taken advantage of space for artistic purposes around Baton Rouge.
 
SurrealEstate is a program that takes abandoned buildings and real estate and repurposes them as art projects.
 
“We wanted to take derelict buildings that were going to be torn down and paint it orange or use the debris to make installation pieces,” said Malia Krolak, president of Culture Candy. “We want to show that art can be part of everyday life all around you in the city.”
 
The idea for SurrealEstate came from Houston, where artists were performing this type of guerrilla art in run-down buildings. Artists brought the idea back to Baton Rouge, and graduate students decided to try it.
 
“The work done and the instillations are temporary,” Krolak said. “At Culture Candy, we wanted to get involved because this is what we’re interested in, highlighting people who are into creative things in the city.”
 
 
 
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Contact Morgan Searles at [email protected]