GALLERY’S STRUGGLE TO PAY RENT
INKA Gallery in Salamanca is suffering a “very depressing” scenario where coronavirus-induced border lockdowns have killed off most of its business.
While Inka will just be able to pay its next rent, the gallery can’t see how it will pay the following month’s instalment.
The plight of businesses has been highlighted through the results of a News Corp survey of 3000 Australians which indicated that while health during the pandemic was a concern, it was not to be rivalled by the very real threats of job losses and business closures, with 58 per cent of respondents saying they were worried about this.
Gallery committee member and artist Lupa Bryant said it was demoralising to sit in the shop all day and barely sell anything, with no more than 10 people coming through.
“We depend a lot on tourism from interstate so from my point of view I am more worried that (business) will be dead before the borders open again,” Miss Bryant said.
While Inka Gallery is a not-forprofit artist-run initiative, it still provides the opportunity for artists to earn money from sales of their works and the gallery must also pay rent and other overheads to survive.
Committee member and comanager Felicity Edwards said it was suffering about a 50 per cent downturn in sales with last month one of the worst. The gallery only sold a couple of artworks in the $200-$300 range and a few cards.
“Artists have always been known to live off the smell of an oily rag, but the past two years have been ridiculous,” Ms Edwards said.
“This is taking a toll on our mental health as we try desperately to keep our little gallery open.”