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Commission flags misuse of 'free art library' after volunteers report food drop-offs

Leesburg Arts Commission · November 10, 2025

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Summary

Commission members reported that the small 'free art library' was being filled with food and that a monitor removed the items; the commission reiterated that the library should be used only for artwork and not as a food bank.

The Leesburg Arts Commission addressed a misuse of a neighborhood 'free art library' during the meeting. Member 1 reported that volunteers found the small art-exchange box filled with food donations and that a monitor subsequently removed the items to return the structure to its intended purpose: circulating artwork.

"Some people had turned it into a food bank," Member 1 said, and commission members agreed the art library should not be repurposed as a food distribution point. Member 4 confirmed staff or a site monitor removed the food and noted that other local food banks are available for donations.

The commission asked members to report similar incidents and agreed to watch for misuse going forward. They emphasized that while community needs are real, items placed in the art library should be limited to artwork; using the structure as a food bank risks losing the installation and its intended community function.