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Press

Zero Empty Spaces generates significant Media Coverage for the concept, property and its artists. You can view some of the most recent coverage below.

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For media inquiries, please contact Andrew Martineau at andrew@zeroemptyspaces.com

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NEXT CITY | PODCAST | OCTOBER 9, 2024

Where Artists Are Taking Over Vacant Storefronts

The pandemic hollowed out our cities, leaving empty downtowns and office buildings in its wake. With galleries and art venues closed and disposable income at a low, the arts sector took a major hit.

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​What if we killed two birds with one stone by using our cities' vacant commercial space as affordable artist studios and galleries? That's the idea behind Zero Empty Spaces. Since its launch in June 2019, the Florida-based organization has placed more than 600 artists in 10 commercial buildings in 10 cities. Most are in the group's home state of Florida but they've extended as far as Little Rock, Arkansas and Boston.

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BIZ BASH | TRACY BLOCK | AUGUST 22, 2024

Zero Empty Spaces to Unveil “Paint the World Gold”

Zero Empty Spaces in Palm Beach Gardens will unveil its “Paint the World Gold: Artists for Childhood Cancer Awareness” exhibit in support of the Kids’ Cancer Foundation September 6.

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In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, the exhibit will showcase works from 22 resident artists, all featuring the gold ribbon symbolizing childhood cancer.

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BIZ BASH | TRACY BLOCK | AUGUST 22, 2024

7 Tips for Transforming Underutilized Spaces for Events

Zero Empty Spaces is dedicated to transforming vacant commercial real estate into working artist studios that serve as vibrant hubs for creativity and community engagement.

 

“We activate these spaces where artists can create and collaborate at an affordable price while having the ability to be discovered and sell artwork out of their studio,” shares co-founder and managing partner Andrew Martineau. “Our innovative approach addresses the challenge of urban blight and retail vacancies by temporarily occupying unused spaces until permanent tenants are secured by property owners.”

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NEXT CITY | CINNAMON JANZER | JULY 22, 2024

Using Vacant Commercial Spaces As Affordable Artist Studios Is a Win-Win

Since the pandemic, large swaths of office space across the United States have sat vacant. The downtown areas and other commercial centers that have enjoyed the built-in business that office workers bring have gone from bustling to bust.

At the beginning of 2024, 13.7% of office space was empty, while 7.6% of multifamily buildings, 4% of retail spaces and 5.6% of industrial spaces were vacant. As cities scramble to find creative new uses for these spaces, from climbing gyms to small-scale manufacturing to vertical farms, one organization in Florida has a stop-gap answer: Use the empty space for affordable artist studios.

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CULTURED MAGAZINE | COLLIN COLAIZZI | APRIL 30, 2024

With MOSAIC and Open Studios, The Palm Beaches Gets the Artist Treatment

This month, the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County offers up a cornucopia of creative experiences for locals and tourists alike with two unique activations ...

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... Delray Beach’s Arts Garage and Arts Warehouse are also focal points of the month. Other arts venues such as Zero Empty Spaces in Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton, and The Peach in West Palm Beach, will highlight works by over 90 artists during Palm Beach County Open Studios on May 18 and 19.

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ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE | AARON GETTINGER | APRIL 15, 2024

Park Plaza hosting artists with Zero Empty Spaces

Zero Empty Spaces, a Florida management company that operates art studios in shopping malls, office buildings and other commercial real estate, has opened a location in Little Rock's Park Plaza mall, its first in Arkansas.
Company

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THV11 (CBS) | SAMANTHA ROMANO | MARCH 29, 2024

Park Plaza Mall announces opening of Zero Empty Spaces artist studio

Park Plaza Mall in Little Rock announced that they'll be providing local artists with affordable spaces to create, engage with the community, and promote and sell their work with the addition of Zero Empty Spaces in April.

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The new space on the third floor of Park Plaza near H&M will serve as a creative hub for the community and accommodate up to 11 artists. 

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ARKANSAS BUSINESS | KYLE MASSEY | MARCH 29, 2024

Artists to Get Space at Park Plaza Mall

Park Plaza Mall in Little Rock is getting creative with empty spaces at the shopping center, which has about a 90% occupancy rate that its owners are looking to keep high.

 

The mall, at Markham Street and University Avenue in midtown, announced on Thursday the opening of Zero Empty Spaces, a working artist studio this month.

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SUN-SENTINEL | SCOTT TRAVIS | | MARCH 16, 2024

New ideas offered for Broward schools facing closure: Cities, nonprofits give their suggestions

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Zero Empty Spaces, a local arts group, proposed “activating closed school campuses to create artistic spaces serving our community” and “providing creative classes and workshops to the community including after-school programs for students,” according to a letter from Evan Snow and Andrew Martineau, the group’s co-founders and managing partners.

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PATCH | ROSE GONG MONIER | FEBRUARY 22, 2024

Wellington Art Society to Feature Patricia Lappin for their March Meeting “World Rhythms”

The Wellington Art Society is pleased to host Patricia Lappin as featured Artist and Speaker at their next meeting, 5:30pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at the Wellington Community Center. 

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When she’s not teaching at her own studio in Boca at Zero Empty Spaces, or the New Studio for Visual Arts in Jupiter, or at art communities around Palm Beach County, Patricia Lappin may be piping music like Bach’s Cello Suite, Peter Gabriel’s African music, Yo-yo Ma’s Silk Road into her headphones feeling the colors of her next painting.

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LOOPNET | LOOPNET TEAM | DECEMBER 29, 2023

Have Empty Commercial Space in 2024? Consider 10 of 2023’s Most Notable Alternative Uses

Also in the imaginative realm, the company Zero Empty Spaces has a creative solution to real estate’s vacancy problem: filling unoccupied spaces with short-term artist studios.

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FLORIDA CANCER SPECIALISTS | DECEMBER 14, 2023

Artist’s Journey with Cancer Portrayed in “Most Valuable” Painting

Short-term Lease Arrangements Give Artists Affordable Rent Options, Help Owners Find Permanent Tenants.

 

Though retail vacancies are finally hovering below the historic average after years of struggling, the vacancy rate for some sectors, like malls, is as high as 9% and forecast to stay there in the coming years, according to data from CoStar. And regardless of national trends, if you’re the owner of a property without a tenant, you’re losing money by the day.

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FLORIDA WEEKLY (PALM BEACH EDITION) | JAN ENGOREN | NOVEMBER 30, 2023

Flurry of Flamingos

Flamingos are everywhere — on hats, paintings, sculptures, standing on one leg, necks outstretched, feathers ruffled, flamingos are the both the whimsy and the wonder of the new exhibit titled “Whimsy & Wonder” at The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. The exhibit continues through Jan. 13.

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​While flamingos are the main motif, whimsy is evident in many of the creations, including animal figures by fiber artist Gin Blische, titled “Ruff Ride,” a second, “The Time Traveler,” made with sheep’s wool and “Octopuses Garden,” reminiscent of the Beatles song of the same name, with wool spun into a kaleidoscope of colors and whimsical tentacles.

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LOOPNET | LAUREN SHANESY | NOVEMBER 9, 2023

This Company Fills Vacant Commercial Properties With Local Artists’ Studios

Short-term Lease Arrangements Give Artists Affordable Rent Options, Help Owners Find Permanent Tenants.

 

Though retail vacancies are finally hovering below the historic average after years of struggling, the vacancy rate for some sectors, like malls, is as high as 9% and forecast to stay there in the coming years, according to data from CoStar. And regardless of national trends, if you’re the owner of a property without a tenant, you’re losing money by the day.

WLFX FOX 29 | KITTY LUNDAN | OCTOBER 25, 2023

Zero Empty Spaces on WFLX FOX 29's "South FL Daily" Lifestyle Series In Partnership W/ Palm Beach County Film & TV

We were featured on @southfldaily, a new lifestyle series from @wflxfox29 in partnership with #ThePalmBeachesTV and the @pbcfilmandtv 

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WLRN (South Florida's NPR Station) | CARLOS FRIAS, ELISA BAENA, HELEN ACEVEDO | AUGUST 17, 2023

Evan Snow is helping South Florida artists stay local by creating affordable studio spaces

Everyone needs a good hype man in their lives. Someone to boost them up, to tell others about all the good things they have going on.

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For Broward County artists, that man in Evan Snow.

Evan’s goal is to help build the community of artists in Broward. He does this by advocating for their work — their painting and poetry, their writing and sculpture. Maybe the most important thing Evan does is find artists affordable places to make their art.

ABC7 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA | RACHEL ANDERSON | AUGUST 7, 2023

ABC7 SWFL "More Explores: Zero Empty Spaces" With Our #27 Location In Fort Myers Bell Tower Shops

In a recent captivating TV interview with Rachel Anderson of ABC7 Southwest Florida, the spotlight was brilliantly cast on Zero Empty Spaces and its transformative impact on the art and community scene. The interview took place at our BELL TOWER SHOPS location in Fort Myers, where the essence of our mission came to life.

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RICHMOND BIZSENSE | JACK JACOBS | AUGUST 7, 2023

Zero Empty Spaces brings rentable art studios to Stony Point Fashion Park

A Florida-based chain of art studios is looking to splash a little color onto Stony Point Fashion Park.

Zero Empty Spaces, which leases storefronts and then carves out within them multiple small rentable art studios, opened last month at the South Richmond mall.

News Story

BOCA MAGAZINE | JOHN THOMASON | JUNE 24, 2022

Boca’s Latest Emerging Art Destination is an Office Building

Directly across from the NFT Museum is Zero Empty Spaces, a partner of BRIC’s that rents out studio space to artists for one cent per square foot; 19 resident artists currently work here.

NATICK REPORT | BOB BROWN | JUNE 14, 2023

The art of Natick Mall: Giant spinning tops; Zero Empty Spaces filling up

Avery Cotton of news station WPLA8 St. Petersburg interviews artists at Tyrone Square Mall location in St. Petersburg

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WFLA8 | AVERY COTTON | MAY 19, 2022

Zero Empty Spaces #26 St. Pete (Florida) Featured On WFLA8

Avery Cotton of news station WPLA8 St. Petersburg interviews artists at Tyrone Square Mall location in St. Petersburg

WPTV/WFLX FOX 29 NEWS | TA WALKER | MAY 20, 2023

Dozens of Palm Beach County artists open studios on Saturday

This Saturday, more than 65 artists will open their studios and you can interact with them for free. The event is called Palm Beach County Open Studios.

The event, organized by the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, offers the public a unique behind-the-scenes look at how professional artists make their creations. All mediums are represented including painting, glass blowing, photography, sculpting, jewelry making, and more.

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WLRN | WILKINE BRUTUS | MAY 12, 2022

Womanhood, music and culture at SCENE, a small arts fest in Delray Beach

​Installations, board games, and live performances. FLAVAR is a music and art collective in Palm Beach County that has been organizing a gathering of young, eclectic art and music lovers. The pandemic stopped many of their events but now they’re back with SCENE, an immersive contemporary arts festival.

ARTS RULE | MIKE SODANO | APRIL 25, 2022

Exposing Artists

Mike Sodano and Nancy Sabino engage with Evan Snow, co-founder of Zero Empty Spaces, an initiative to activate vacant commercial real estate primarily in retail settings to make affordable artist studios at a low monthly rate.

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BAY NEWS 9 | ALESE UNDERWOOD | APRIL 25, 2022

Artists find new studio option as rent increases

For local artists, finding studio space for a good price has also become a huge undertaking. However, there is a new option for artists who are looking for blank walls and a little collaboration 

ONGARDENS.ORG | JOEL ENGELHARDT | APRIL 19, 2022

Inside the artists’ studio: Creativity, diversity thrive at Legacy Place

There’s the Army sniper who offers a poem with every painting. A Cuban immigrant who paints English countrysides. A 23-year-old who quit her job at Whole Foods to commit full-time to art. A crime victim coordinator with the State Attorney’s Office who overcomes shyness to paint insightful portraits.

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CATALYST | BILL DEYOUNG | MARCH 29, 2022

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CATALYST | BILL DEYOUNG | MARCH 29, 2022

Will affordable artist studios boost traffic at Tyrone Square Mall?

Tyrone Square Mall will officially turn 50 in October. And while it’s not a ghost town, exactly, the amount of retail shops, as well as the number of circulating customers, has dwindled significantly from the 1970s and ‘80s, when shopping was a nearly everyday activity, and “hanging out” at the mall was a rite of passage for St. Petersburg teens.

I LOVE THE BURG | BOB CARSKADON | MARCH 29, 2022

Tyrone Square Mall to open affordable studios for local artists

With all types of property in St. Petersburg getting harder and harder to come by, a new project is offering local artists unique opportunities for affordable studio space. Tyrone Square Mall has partnered with a company named Zero Empty Spaces to create studio spaces for local artists to create and house their work. An open house this weekend will welcome the first set of artists who could be taking over the studios.

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Artists looking for affordable studio spaces have a new opportunity on the horizon. Spaces will be available at Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg, through a partnership between Zero Empty Spaces and Simon Property Management — the developer who owns the mall.

NATICK REPORT |​​​​ ABOB BROWN | JANUARY 26, 2022

Zero Empty Spaces seeks to fill part of Natick Mall with artists

Zero Empty Spaces, an outfit launched in 2019 to give artists access to high profile but inexpensive studio space, plans to open its first location outside of Florida next month at Natick Mall.

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MIAMI NEW TIMES |​​​​ ARTBURST MIAMI | OCTOBER 29, 2021

Zero Empty Spaces: An Affordable Option for Artists in Miami

PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS |​​​​ BILL DIPAOLO | OCTOBER 21, 2021

Pianist Hélène Grimaud to Open Palm Beach Symphony Season in November

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PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS |​​​​ BILL DIPAOLO | OCTOBER 21, 2021

Marching band, art auction to welcome patrons as Palm Beach Symphony kicks off season

ARTBURST |​​​​ SERGY ODIDURO | OCTOBER 20, 2021

Zero Empty Spaces: An affordable option for artists in Miami

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THE BOCA RATON TRIBUNE |​​​​ BOCA TRIBUNE | OCTOBER 19, 2021

Virtuoso Pianist Hélène Grimaud Opens Palm Beach Symphony Season

SUN-SENTINEL |​​​​ BRETT SHWEKY | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Old instruments become ‘Musical Masterpieces’ waiting for bidders

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AVENTURA MAGAZINE |​  OCTOBER, 2021

Thanks to Zero Empty Spaces artists can create and collaborate

TOWN-CRIER |​​​​ TOWN-CRIER EDITOR | SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

Wellington Artist Takes Part In Symphony’s Musical Masterpieces

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TAMPA BAY TIMES | MAGGIE DUFFY | MARCH 28, 2022

Affordable artists studio space will be available at Tyrone Square

Artists looking for affordable studio spaces have a new opportunity on the horizon. Spaces will be available at Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg, through a partnership between Zero Empty Spaces and Simon Property Management — the developer who owns the mall.

NATICK REPORT |​​​​ ABOB BROWN | JANUARY 26, 2022

Zero Empty Spaces seeks to fill part of Natick Mall with artists

Zero Empty Spaces, an outfit launched in 2019 to give artists access to high profile but inexpensive studio space, plans to open its first location outside of Florida next month at Natick Mall.

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Zero Empty Spaces: An Affordable Option for Artists in Miami

PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS |​​​​ BILL DIPAOLO | OCTOBER 21, 2021

Pianist Hélène Grimaud to Open Palm Beach Symphony Season in November

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PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS |​​​​ BILL DIPAOLO | OCTOBER 21, 2021

Marching band, art auction to welcome patrons as Palm Beach Symphony kicks off season

ARTBURST |​​​​ SERGY ODIDURO | OCTOBER 20, 2021

Zero Empty Spaces: An affordable option for artists in Miami

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THE BOCA RATON TRIBUNE |​​​​ BOCA TRIBUNE | OCTOBER 19, 2021

Virtuoso Pianist Hélène Grimaud Opens Palm Beach Symphony Season

SUN-SENTINEL |​​​​ BRETT SHWEKY | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Old instruments become ‘Musical Masterpieces’ waiting for bidders

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AVENTURA MAGAZINE |​  OCTOBER, 2021

Thanks to Zero Empty Spaces artists can create and collaborate

TOWN-CRIER |​​​​ TOWN-CRIER EDITOR | SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

Wellington Artist Takes Part In Symphony’s Musical Masterpieces

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JUPITER MAGAZINE |​​​​ SITE STAFF | SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

“Musical Masterpieces” Debuts at Zero Empty Spaces

Palm Beach Symphony and Zero Empty Spaces will present “Musical Masterpieces,” a collection of 38 artworks that incorporate musical instruments created by more than two dozen local artists. 

THE AMERICAN DREAM TV |​​​​ ROBERT SLACK | SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

The Travel Channel's "The American Dream TV" features Zero Empty Spaces (Gulfstream)

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BROADWAY WORLD |​​​​ STEPHI WILD | SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Palm Beach Symphony & Zero Empty Spaces Create Performing And Visual Arts Mash Up

In a wonderous mash-up of visual and performing arts, Palm Beach Symphony and Zero Empty Spaces will present Musical Masterpieces, a collection of 38 artworks incorporating musical instruments created by more than two dozen local artists. 

WLRN |​​​​ CAITIE SWITALSKI MUNOZ | SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

'Zero Empty Spaces' Keeps Opening Artist Studio Spaces During Pandemic — And Artists Keep Coming

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SARASOTA OBSERVER |​​​​ HARRY SAYER| AUGUST 26, 2021

Art community forms in Rosemary District studio

CHANNEL 5 WPTV |​​​​ RICHIE PERGOLIZZI | AUGUST 15, 2021

Nonprofit partnering with art studio to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and at-risk youth

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FLORIDA NEWS TIMES |​​​​ WINONA RYDER | AUGUST 9, 2021

Zero Empty Space Arrives at Gulfstream Park Village

Zero Empty Space (ZES)Expanding at the new location of Gulfstream Park Village, next to Williams Sonoma on Harlandale Beach, an affordable artist studio initiative. The space’s grand opening celebration will take place on Thursday, August 12th, from 6pm to 9pm. 

PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED |​​​​ SITE STAFF | JULY 15, 2021

Art Throwdown with Zero Empty Spaces

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FLORIDA NEWS TIMES |​​​​ WINONA RYDER | AUGUST 9, 2021

Zero Empty Space Arrives at Gulfstream Park Village

Zero Empty Space (ZES)Expanding at the new location of Gulfstream Park Village, next to Williams Sonoma on Harlandale Beach, an affordable artist studio initiative. The space’s grand opening celebration will take place on Thursday, August 12th, from 6pm to 9pm. 

SARASOTA MAGAZINE |​​​​ EMMA LICHTENSTEIN | JULY 13, 2021

This Local Artist Created a New Painting Every Day During the Pandemic

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GATEWAY GAZETTE |​​​​ CHRIS DAY | JULY 7 - 13, 2021

Summer vibes stroll

PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED |​​​​ SITE STAFF | JULY 7, 2021

Anthony Burks’ Art Finds a Home at The Norton

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PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED |​​​​ ALLISON FORSYTH  |​​​​  JULY 1 2021

Rosemary District Artist Workspace Will Open to the Public Next Week

INSIDE SOUTH FLORIDA |​​​​ MAY 27, 2021

Artists bring beauty to storefronts

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ARTRPRNR |​​​​ MARCH 26, 2021

Zero Empty Spaces: Activating Real Estate with Art

PBS |​​ ARTLOFT |​​​​ FEB 17, 2021

Zero Empty Spaces | Art Loft 905 Segment | Scott Jeffries

PBS |​​ ARTLOFT |​​​​ FEB 11, 2021

Zero Empty Spaces | Art Loft 904 Segment

PBS |​​ ARTLOFT |​​​​ FEB 17, 2021

Zero Empty Spaces | Art Loft 905 Segment | Scott Jeffries

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