Bug Ball fundraiser has Prøve Gallery buzzing

Dressed in gowns that look like they came straight out of a doll house, a few artists met at Prøve Gallery last week to shoot a promotional video for their upcoming gala. As soon as the bug garments and masks were placed on the models’ heads, the poses came out.

“A mask is transformative,” artist and Prøve Collective board member Cherry Koch said, watching the models move around the room in playful bug-like fashion.

The Bug Ball, set for May 30, is a fundraiser supporting Prøve’s efforts to raise $5,000 and keep its space open. The theme for the gala, which features live music and prizes, is inspired by the seasonal shift to spring, renewal and regrowth.

“A lot of different bug species are successful because they are so cooperative, like ants,” Koch said. And much like a bunch of independent artists in a gallery space, bugs are “small but powerful because everyone is working together.”

Andi Haus, an artist who joined the gallery’s board about a year ago after moving from Minneapolis, said there are many ways attendees can approach dressing up for the event.

“There’s the common bugs that a lot of people gravitate toward, but there’s so many hyper-specific insects. So I’m just really excited to see peoples’ inner bug brought out.”

There are few small, accessible gallery spaces available in Duluth that host the type of events and functions Prøve does. The small, open space includes a miniature zine library, hardwood floors, and white walls ready to provide both well-seasoned and early-career artists a professional-looking space to share their talents. The multi-disciplinary venue has held visual exhibitions, music, spoken-word performances, workshops, and films of both local and international artists.

“There’s not many places in town that look like Prøve,” board member Caitlin Larson said. But while the collective waits to hear back from various grant funders, it’s running short on funds to cover rent.

“With the state of our country right now, fascism is not so good for the arts, and I think a lot of spaces like this are struggling,” Haus said. “And I think that makes it all the more important that we try to push through and persevere.”

Haus continued to explain how gallery spaces “are important to foster community and keep the arts alive in times like this,” offering opportunities to experiment or explore new ideas.

“Prøve is a word that means to try or attempt something,” said Jamie Ratliff, who has been volunteering for Prøve since 2016 and has done every job that can be done at the gallery, from cleaning the restroom, bookkeeping and grant writing. “I think we try to stay true to that idea and give artists a space to experiment, show new work, and provide a blank slate for artists to really transform. It’s a space for creativity, for us as a collective and for the artists we host … and we want people to feel the same love and passion for the arts that we feel.”

Comparatively, some of the other spaces in the region require large rental fees, or might not allow for some of the flexibility or fresh ideas that Prøve’s mission supports. Without spaces like Prøve, it can be difficult for artists to find spaces to connect with their city.

“I think it’s important to have a place where you can feel like you can make an impact in your community (and where) you can go and make a difference,” Koch said.

And since the gallery has been open, it has done just that. Describing some of the previous events held at Prøve, Ratliff shared about some of the artist-led workshops held in the past.

“We had a workshop about the significance of mugs with local ceramicist Liz James, graphic design workshops with Blackbird Revolt, zine workshops led by former collective member Flo Matatoros, and we just did flower-making and screen printing with Alison and Kirsten Aune. I love seeing artists share what they love and bring people together to create community through creative activities.”

But of all the exhibits Ratliff has witnessed over the course of 10 years in the gallery, her favorite was one circa 2018 that “explored the radical power of vulnerability.” She said, “we chose artists who really laid bare their thoughts and emotions and created works about intimacy and the body.”

Having a space where artists can share that type of vulnerability is important to the artists facilitating events held at the gallery.

“What we try to do is to be a safe space for everyone to show their art,” said board member Hollis Sparhawk. “And if you have an idea, you can come to us to make it happen. Making sure that all voices are heard, especially minorities and people that need a chance to get their art out there. And I love community shows. Those are probably my favorite.”

Other board members said some of the events that make the biggest impact are group exhibitions. Koch and Judas Bardon both got involved with Prøve’s board while curating the gallery’s first Duluth-Superior Pride-affiliated group show. The third annual exhibition is Sept. 4.

“We love the group shows, because part of Prøve’s mission is to serve artists of all backgrounds and for artists of all backgrounds to connect with each other. So those community shows are the perfect place for that to happen,” Koch said.

Another group exhibition at Prøve this season is the 5 Minute Film Festival on June 6. While the official submission deadline for local artists and filmmakers has closed, organizers are still considering including films sent through email prior to June 1.

While the main fundraising goal with the Bug Ball is to cover base operating costs like rent, the board is excited for what could happen if the goal is surpassed.

“We have some new ideas regarding community partnerships, new workshops, publishing some zines, and new collabs with artists in mind,” Ratliff said. “Surpassing our goal would allow us to explore new directions and ideas to reach newer and wider audiences.”

Other board members shared additional possibilities for expanding the type of projects that could happen with access to more funds, such as expanding on what’s available in the wood workshop or being able to pay artists to hold regular events.

“We want to do more workshops and more community events,” Larson said. “We just talked to someone who wanted to do yoga in this space.”

Community members can support the gallery by donating online, or attending the May 30 Bug Ball and participating in the raffle, which runs from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the full event, which includes the food and raffle portion of the event, are $40. Attendees who only want to catch the live music, which starts at 8 p.m., can attend for $15. The bill features Cigarette Picnic, Willem Dafoe Fanclub, Midnight Kissfight and Between Howls.

A lot of new energy has entered the board of volunteers in the past few years, and veteran members are hoping the gallery can survive the current financial barriers.

“We’re facing some real uncertainty for the future of the gallery. Which is a real shame because the collective right now is so strong,” Ratliff said. “I think the chemistry is just really great right now.”

Ren Howl, who performs at the ball with the band Between Howls, expressed that the gallery, and third spaces in general, are important for communities. And that losing any of them is a big loss.

“Being able to meet up at a park or an art gallery or a library … places like that are really important for bringing people together. Unfortunately, a lot of these are disappearing and it is kind of sad to see,” she said. “Hopefully we can all work together to keep Prøve open for a long long time!”