After a process of thorough deliberation, the Board of Directors of New Langton Arts (NLA) has determined that dissolution of NLA is the best option in light of short-term and long-term institutional challenges. The Board hopes that this difficult decision does not diminish the many achievements of the organization and the countless collaborative efforts of those who created and sustained it during its 34 years.

NLA, originally known as 80 Langton Street, was officially founded in 1975 by a group of artists, gallery owners, and patrons as a non-profit organization dedicated to experimental art. NLA was one of a number of “alternative spaces” founded in the 1970s and eventually one of the best-known. NLA’s legacy is one of supporting several generations of artists and presenting defining works in many mediums by artists of local, national, and international reputation.

The Board of Directors considered many factors in making its decision, including the state of NLA’s financial health during a period of economic downturn that shuttered thousands of non-profit organizations. During its final years of existence, NLA undertook a number of new initiatives in an effort to secure the viability of the organization. Such initiatives and urgent appeals to save NLA proved insufficient. NLA moved out of its location at 1246 Folsom Street in San Francisco and had to let go of its staff. The Board of Directors is currently taking steps to wrap up its affairs in a manner that honors the organization’s excellence.

Though the role of alternative spaces has changed considerably since NLA’s founding, the Board of Directors is encouraged to see that NLA’s mission continues to be carried on in the work of like-minded organizations.

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