![\"Black](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Charles-Lee-002_2000.jpg\")
<\/p>\nArts community members rallied to prevent the closure of the 52-year-old photo nonprofit.<\/p>\n
Aug 31, 2026<\/p>\n
Updated 5:04 pm PT<\/p>\n
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An installation view of Charles Lee’s show ‘sweat + dirt’ at SF Camerawork in 2023.\u00a0(Courtesy the artist)<\/p>\n
Nearly three weeks after SF Camerawork announced<\/a> its sudden, permanent closure, the 52-year-old photography nonprofit now says it will remain open, thanks to a new interim executive director and a fully replaced board.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter a period of uncertainty, we are thrilled to announce that SF Camerawork will continue,\u201d the organization announced<\/a> on social media and its website on Aug. 29.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNobody knew really what was going on,\u201d Fischer told KQED that day. \u201cAnd I am getting emails, calls from all over, from LA. \u2018We wanna help, we wanna stop this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Over the past three weeks, Fischer, Deschaines and a working group of supporters made a proposal to the former board: let us look at the books and put forward a new board, and we can help fund the organization through early 2027.<\/p>\n The transition to new leadership has gone fairly smoothly, Fischer said. \u201cI think they were pretty fatigued,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s been a really tough road.\u201d<\/p>\n The reversal is happy news for an arts community that has suffered its fair share of institutional closures<\/a> in recent years. For his part, Fischer is optimistic about the future:\u00a0\u201cWhat Camerawork does for emerging photographers, emerging curators, there\u2019s more need for that than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n SF Camerawork will reopen with a members\u2019 exhibition<\/a> Sept. 16\u2013Oct. 4, 2026. An opening reception will take place Thursday, Sept. 17, 5\u20138 p.m.<\/p>\n