Last Tuesday, ArtBar by Catalyst Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico, shocked arts supporters by announcing it was officially closing. ArtBar is a nonprofit club, with 2,000 members, that generates grant funds through the sale of alcohol. Back on June 11, ArtBar received a citation after it sent a press release about an event to a local paper. The event advertisement had information regarding a cover charge, which the regulation and licensing department said violated the conditions of having a club license from New Mexico. Julia Mandeville, a director of ArtBar, announced that the nonprofit had decided to close rather than to continue to fight citations from the alcohol and gaming division. Locals were outraged and rallied around ArtBar. Albuerque Mayor Richard Berry’s office became involved to work on a compliance plan between the state’s Alcohol and Gaming Division and ArtsBar officials. Since then, New Mexico’s Regulation and Licensing department is issuing a temporary license for ArtBar Downtown, which would allow the bar to open its doors again.