Just Opened

Surcle: Open Sat.-Sun., noon-5 p.m. and First Fridays, 110 Church St., 215-923-1415, myspace.com/surcleartistcooperative

by Monica Weymouth

Open Sat.-Sun., noon-5 p.m. and First Fridays, 110 Church St., 215-923-1415, myspace.com/surcleartistcooperative

It would be easy for Surcle to lose its way. Nestled into an unassuming storefront on Church Street (the side without Old City Coffee, no less), the new artist cooperative doesn't boast the holiday sales, drinks specials or hyped receptions of its neighbors. And yet, almost a month after officially opening, the quiet space is thriving.

Run by the Multicultural Youth eXchange (MYX) — a local nonprofit that teaches tolerance through the arts — Surcle functions as a retail and exhibition venue. Proceeds from the photography, jewelry, clothing, stationery and other handmade fine arts and crafts benefit both the artist and MYX, which uses the funds for youth workshops. While more local artists continue to join, current work includes eerie plushes by Gretchen Diehl, Polaroid assemblages by Shelley Hedlund, anti-violence buttons by Parkway Northwest High School for Peace students and hand-sewn vests by Phillip "Monkey" Scoggins. Winter Wonderland, an installation curated by MYX program director Faye Kendall, adds to the warm and crafty atmosphere with a candy-cane jungle gym, ceramic garland and a tree made of cardboard box scraps.

In the future, Surcle plans bimonthly exhibits of sculptural, video and site-specific work — an intentional departure from the Old City gallery scene. "We're interested in being really accessible and being a space for families, too," says Kendall. "We're not a 2D, wine-and-cheese retail gallery."