Bivy's New Home: Art & Social Change

0:00It's March 19th, here's your Anchorage news in two minutes. Bevy, a tiny contemporary art gallery in downtown Anchorage, first popped up in the fall of 2017. Founder Simonetta Mignano turned a small office space into a hub for interactive installations, performances, and multimedia shows. It ran for five years until the building got demolished in late 2022, along with a nearby theater. After the closure, Mignano took a break, but spotted a four-rent sign nearby, and reopened Vivi last fall in 2025. The new spot upstairs from a shop keeps that cozy, intimate feel and former office rooms, complete with zines and art books in the back. Mignano brought her experience for running a gallery in Rome, and years of community organizing to make it happen. She negotiated super low rent for the original space at just $350 a month, and pulled an international artist to kick things. Locals love the relational vibe, where art sparks real connections face-to-face.

1:00Over the years, Vivi adapted through challenges like the pandemic, with online programs, from the School of Non-functional Studies. Shows featured wild, interactive pieces, like visitors erasing drawings or lounging in a poet's makeshift house, filled with personal items. It even became Mignano's temporary home during tough times. Now in its new home on G-Street, by the host, we are going to build a house, a group show on home themes with tricky, realistic sculptures until March 21st. Despite running at a long-side-of-full-time job in grad school, Mignano pays artists 60-70% commissions and recently got support from. Stay arts groups. She sees Vivi as a small force for gradual social change. This episode is brought to you in partnership with our sponsor. Do not just listen to podcasts, get lost in them comfortably, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com.