After the gasps, tears, fainting spells (possibly) and collective foot-stomping that accompanied the sudden news that Trifecta Gallery will close in January, practical questions from the concerned citizenry emerged: Where will the gallery’s artists show now? Who will move into the space? Where will we go to see art Downtown?

As melodramatic as that sounds, of all the galleries Downtown, Trifecta has been the basket full of eggs, so it’s only natural that concerns would arise.

For Marty Walsh, owner of Trifecta, the gallery has been a business, not a hobby. In addition to exhibiting a respectable lineup of artists living in Las Vegas and elsewhere, Trifecta keeps inventory on hand and is self-sustaining. Mostly, it’s open.

Brett Wesley Gallery, which downsized this year by moving from its stand-alone building on Charleston Boulevard into a suite at Art Square, can also be counted on. Other than that, it’s slim pickings for career artists. The tendency here is for galleries to rarely be open, often despite posted hours. It’s an unusual business model, kind of like a restaurant that says it serves lunch daily but isn’t open on the Tuesday that you end up going—or the Wednesday or Thursday.

But for 10 years, the soup was always on at Trifecta. Where those artists will show in town is anyone’s guess. Arts Factory owner Wes Myles says he’s entertaining different ideas and that there has been interest in the space, but so far nothing has been set in stone. He adds that the vacancy is still six months away. In the Arts District, a lot can happen in six months.

Indeed, in about six months the Contemporary Arts Center plans to emerge with pop-up exhibits around the Valley. By then, there will be a large available space in the Arts Factory.