Hosting Events At VEnusian Gardens

As a contemporary art gallery featuring luminous sculpture, Venusian Gardens (VG) offers a unique, visually sumptuous venue for weddings and receptions, celebrations, fashion shows, music and art performances. The synchronizing of an historic, 170 year old building with a soaring cypress ceiling and expansive red pine floors with contemporary artwork provides a stimulating ambience guaranteed to stimulate the imagination of its guests.

Whether your event is serious, promotional or celebratory, VG is a venue that lends itself to a wide range of functions, including fashion shows, corporate meetings, special catering presentations, reunions, birthday parties or religious celebrations. Parties at VG come alive! The amazing visual splendor of the luminous artwork throughout VG provides stimulating backdrops that add excitement and awe to any event. The unique and varied nature of multiple different exhibition spaces at VG make it a perfect venue for special events and celebrations.

Multiple Event Spaces Available

There are several different indoor and outdoor gallery exhibition spaces available that offer a wide range of functional uses, allowing for large groups as well as small intimate gatherings. VG is perfect for parties, dancing, dining and seating for performances.

The Main Gallery – Second Floor

The Main Exhibition Gallery occupies the second story of VG and is the primary event rental space. It is quite spacious, with a 34-foot peaked cypress ceiling and beautiful red pine floors original to this historic church. The Main Gallery provides seating space for up to 150 people and standing room for up to 200 people. The rear of the Main Gallery is an exhibition space that is partitioned from the main gallery by two walls that provide 3 wide entries that communicate with the main space.

The Catering Kitchen and two bathrooms are adjacent to the main exhibition space and are partitioned off for privacy. There are three staircases connecting the first and second floors and one staircase to the third floor along with an elevator that provides access to all 3 floors.

The Lofts – Third Floor

The third story consists of three loft spaces that all overlook the Main Gallery: the Choir Loft, the Piano Loft and the Observation Loft. The Choir Loft includes a bathroom and offers a more private personal space that overlooks the Main Gallery and across to the Piano Loft. The Piano Loft looks openly out over the Main Gallery and is an ideal space for live musicians and other performers. Bridging the Choir and Piano Lofts is the Observation Loft which provides four cocktail tables to comfortably seat 16 people overlooking the Main Gallery.

Glasslight Studio – Ground Floor

Glasslight Studio is a functioning sculpture studio that occupies the ground floor of VG. While some of the studio space is off limits for events, the large central foyer and spacious bathroom can be utilized. The foyer can serve as a staging area as well as a food and beverage service area. The studio bathroom is quite large with an expansive mirror that provides a perfect place for costume changes. For special events, studio tours and neon demonstrations may be available.

Catering Kitchen

Our large Catering Ktchen with both incoming and outgoing entry passages is a dream space for caterers. Excellent overhead lighting, multiple sinks, spacious stainless steel counters and a large refrigerator and freezer along with a large ice storage bin combine to facilitate food preparation and delivery.

Garden Space – Outdoors

There is a large outdoor garden adjacent to the main building of VG that can be utilized for events. It can accommodate 100 people and it allows for tables, tents and a staging area for performers. It is accessible from Glasslight Studio and also has secondary access from Franklin Avenue.

Overview of Event Rentals at VG

rental Services

Facility rentals include the individual space(s) rented, security and an on-site event coordinator. The event coordinator acts as an intermediary between VG, client and third-party vendors for the interests of VG and does not generally serve as an event planner for the client.

Full in-house planning services are available including rental of chairs, tables, linens and audio-visual equipment. Additionally, beverage, catering and entertainment services can be arranged. As an important contributor to the arts scene in New Orleans, VG offers a wide range of musician and entertainment services, both exotic and creative. Services may also be contracted through third-party vendors but all third-party vendors must be approved by VG.

AMENITIES

Multiple Bathrooms
There are four bathrooms including one large bathroom on the ground floor with a huge mirror which provides an excellent dressing area.

Elevator
A 3-floor elevator is soon to be available for those needing assistance.

Capacity
The main gallery provides space for up to 150 seated guests for dining and 200 standing guests. The third floor provides space for another 100 people.

Audio-Visual Support
VG is equipped with a high-end audio sound system with easy bluetooth access by our hosts. Large screen video projectors are available in the main gallery as well as in the choir loft for small, personal presentations. Additionally, high resolution pan and scan audio-visual recordings of gallery events are offered.

Parking
There is ample, open on-street parking 1-2 blocks away. However, out of respect for our neighbors, Uber and taxi services are encouraged.

Events