YORKTOWN — The Yorktown Arts Foundation will permanently close the doors of its gallery and home base on June 13.
The foundation has operated On the Hill Gallery in the Burcher Cottage on Yorktown’s Main Street since 2014. In a news release, foundation officials said that the organization does not yet have a new headquarters lined up, but that it will continue to host some of its popular programs at alternate locations.
Since its founding in 1975, the foundation has worked to foster an appreciation for art through educational programs and outreach and supported artists by providing a gallery for them to sell their work.
Burcher Cottage, which dates to the late 1800s, is owned by the National Park Service. Officials from Colonial National Historical Park, which includes the battlefield and much of the historic village, permitted the foundation to operate On the Hill Gallery under a concession contract. That agreement expired in June 2023 but was extended by a year because of the pandemic.
Park spokesman Darren Pickett said in an email that Burcher Cottage was one of several rental properties within Yorktown that have been converted to lease agreements in recent years, “bringing consistency to the way that all of the park’s historic buildings are managed and alignment with National Park Service (NPS) policies and guidelines.”
The new arrangement will generate significantly more revenue for the park service.
According to Pickett, the park service is accepting proposals from parties interested in leasing Burcher Cottage. “The park does not have a specific tenant type in mind,” he said. “The (request for proposals) process will help to determine suitability.”
Foundation officials learned in March that the concession contract would expire without an opportunity for them to negotiate an extension. President Kathleen Wahl said that the foundation had invested roughly $35,000 in building maintenance and repairs.
The announcement of the expiring concession contract prompted an outpouring of support. “We were awed and humbled by the support from the community, York County, and elected officials,” Wahl said in the news release.
This year, the York County Public Library will host the foundation’s sixth annual veterans’ art show and a location will be announced soon for the children’s summer art program, according to foundation officials.
Until its closure on June 13, On the Hill Gallery will operate under its normal schedule: Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The gallery has various types of art for sale. “I encourage everyone to come to the Gallery to say goodbye and support our artists,” Wahl said in the release.
More information about the Yorktown Arts Foundation and On the Hill Gallery is available online at onthehillgallery.com or by calling 757-369-1108.
Ben Swenson, ben.swenson05@gmail.com
