The founder of Gloucester Arts on Main is further enhancing the downtown area with Art/Work in the Village, a co-working space for all professionals, including artists.
Architect B. Kay Van Dyke purchased the T.C. Walker mural building at 6769 Main St. to offer co-working spaces, dedicated desks and small private offices. In the 2,000-square-foot space, members can meet clients and use high-speed Wi-Fi, the printer, coffee station and conference room. The space is conducive to offering classes.
The different levels of membership are open to 40 people, she said.
A basic membership is $95 monthly and offers open work areas with desks, kitchen, meeting space and conference room. An open-area dedicated workspace, with a worktable or desk, lockable storage and access to amenities, costs $200 monthly. Studios and offices are $3.50 a square foot. Facilities, for the conference room or classroom configuration, can also be reserved a la carte.
A successful entrepreneur, Van Dyke hopes to attract startups to create a business incubator atmosphere.
“By working in a co-working space with other entrepreneurs, it makes it easier to support each other and exchange ideas,” she said.
Continuous learning is also on this 85-year-old’s agenda. She said classes set to be offered include welding, taught by a blacksmith, and art classes.
The building, constructed in the 1930s, had been empty for more than 10 years. It stands out because of the murals on each side. This is just one of several endeavors Van Dyke has undertaken for Gloucester’s Main Street since she arrived with her late husband in 1985.
“I think I am still considered new,” she laughed.
In 2010, she purchased and restored an empty building to create Arts on Main. Van Dyke sold it in 2020 and bought another abandoned building for a co-op space called Village Art Colony, where local artists sell their work and teach classes.
When asked about starting another business, Van Dyke simply said, “I get bored easy, so I thought, ‘Why not?’”
Art/Work is expected to open this month. For more information, visit awvillage.com.
