DOWNEY – Stay Gallery has launched a membership drive as it seeks to raise additional funds to finance the gallery’s operating costs. 

Membership packages range from $150 (the Warhol Membership) to $10,000 (Michelangelo), with each package offering a variety of perks and benefits. 

Stay Gallery was founded in 2012. Last year, the City Council voted to subsidize the gallery’s monthly rent through 2020, while allocating an additional $48,000 from the Art in Public Places Fund for program expenses. 

According to Josie Estrada, the gallery’s executive director, membership dues will be used on “banal” expenses such as utilities, rent, staffing, supplies and other overhead costs. 

“[It’s about] having the space open and available” to the community, Estrada said. “The nearest [gallery] is 13 miles away. We give a showcase to all the young artists and local communities. We give [artists] that venue so their art can come to life.”

Donations via Stay Gallery’s membership program are tax deductible. For more details, visit staygallery.org/membership.