Norfolk Venue Owner Sells Property After Two Years of Operating Deficits

Arthur Rutter sold the building at 759 Granby Street in Norfolk, ending the tenure of the art and music venue Work|Release. The property, located on the corner of Granby Street and Olney Road, was acquired by the Rutter family after years of vacancy. Work|Release operated from April 2015 to April 2017 without a formal closing event or public announcement of its end.

The venue occupied the ground floor of a former Texaco building that had been gutted following the 2008 housing market crash. Rutter stated that the structure lacked walls, pipes, and wiring when the couple purchased it. They partnered with the Rutter Family Art Foundation to bring contemporary art to a broader audience, a goal Rutter described as something local museums were unable or unwilling to achieve.

Work|Release opened with a neon sculpture exhibition featuring 12 international artists. The 2,000-square-foot space hosted a diverse calendar of events, including symphony collaborations, live music, and art installations. Director Careyann Weinberg noted that the crowd included young people, older residents, and individuals from various economic backgrounds. Security guards hired for the venue reportedly competed for shifts due to the high volume of activity.

The music programming featured established and emerging artists. Grammy-nominated musician Masego performed early in his career, while rapper D.R.A.M. became a regular. The band of Montreal drew an audience of 500 to 600 people. Bart Barnes, who performs as Fake Uzumi, credited the venue with providing his first major opportunity to perform before a receptive crowd.

Operating costs remained high throughout the venue's two-year run. At its peak, Work|Release employed 17 staff members and operated nearly every night. The venue never achieved profitability. Charlotte Potter, an artist associated with the space, recalled that the Rutters were willing to absorb losses to maintain the project. Rutter acknowledged that the business model relied on the simultaneous growth of other businesses in the NEON District.

The closure in April 2017 was abrupt. Weinberg described the notification to staff as a simple announcement that the venue was done. Rutter characterized the shutdown as a pause rather than a permanent end. Commune restaurant subsequently occupied the space, and the upstairs apartments served as temporary housing for visiting artists. After the pandemic slowed the district's recovery, the building transitioned into a rentable event space.

The NEON District celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025 with a 244-page publication. Current utility work on Granby Street has reduced foot traffic, and some local businesses have cited the construction as a factor in their closures. The original Work|Release signage remains on the building's exterior, left in place to mark the venue's history.