Work|Release Closed After Two Years of Operating at a Loss

Work|Release ceased operations in April 2017 after a two-year run at the corner of Granby Street and Olney Road. The venue, located in the ground floor of the former Texaco building at 759 Granby St., closed without a farewell event or a press release. During its brief existence, it became a central hub for the emerging NEON District in Norfolk.

Financial records and owner statements indicate the venue never achieved profitability. At its peak, Work|Release employed 17 staff members and operated nearly every night. Arthur Rutter, who co-owned the building with his wife Meredith, noted that the business model relied on other district businesses growing at the same pace. He stated that one business could not bring everyone else along. The couple viewed the operation as a way to bring contemporary art to a wide audience, describing city museums as unable or unwilling to do so.

The Rutters acquired the property after previous owners planned condos before the 2008 housing crash. When the couple took over, the structure was a gutted shell. Rutter said there was not a wall, pipe, or wire in the building. They used the Rutter Family Art Foundation to fund the project. Early investors included the Perry family, who started Glass Wheel Studios nearby. In the summer of 2014, director Careyann Weinberg held a brainstorming session with 50 to 100 people. The group decided the venue needed more than just art. Rutter described the result as a thinking club, an intelligent club, and an art club.

The venue opened in April 2015 with AGLOW, a neon sculpture exhibition featuring 12 international artists. Programming filled the 2,000-square-foot space with diverse events. A typical week included symphony collaborations, figure drawing sessions, punk bands, and DJ sets. Weinberg noted the crowd included young kids, older folks, art enthusiasts, and partygoers of all income levels. Security guards reported competing for shifts due to the high demand.

The music lineup featured high-profile acts. Grammy-nominated Masego performed early in his career, and Portsmouth rapper D.R.A.M. was a regular. DJ Tiësto filmed a video at the venue. The band of Montreal drew 500 to 600 attendees. Local DJ Bart Barnes, known as Fake Uzumi, credited the receptive crowd for pushing him to take risks. Gabe Niles called the venue a beacon of creativity.

Art exhibitions were central to the programming. Guest curators rotated through the space. Charlotte Potter curated Native, a show of Hampton Roads artists. Scaccia organized a gun violence exhibition that brought police officers and Black Lives Matter groups together for brunch. The event drew national attention. A graffiti show featured shipping containers in the back lot and artists from Atlanta, New York, Baltimore, and Richmond. Staff were trained to invite guests to help protect the pieces rather than scolding them for getting too close.

The closure arrived without warning. Weinberg recalled being told the venue was done and wrapped up. Rutter said the shutdown was intended as a pause. Commune restaurant later moved into the space, and some art shows continued. The apartments upstairs became free housing for visiting artists supported by the foundation. After the pandemic stalled the district's recovery, the building became a rentable event space. The corner signage from Work|Release still remains on the Texaco building.

The NEON District marked its 10th anniversary in 2025 with a 244-page book featuring more than 200 works of art. A streetscape project has torn up Granby Street for utility work, slowing foot traffic. Some businesses have cited the disruption in closing. Niles said the district's creative energy is a little bit more spread out than it once was.