ANOTHER Hamilton art gallery is going out of business, the can reveal.

Sculptor Desmond Fountain is expected to announce the closure of his Front Street gallery, which showcases the work of both Bermudian and international artists, in the coming weeks.

Yesterday, Mr. Fountain, who is currently off the island, could not be reached to confirm the news while the gallery's manager declined to comment. But a number of sources in the art world, who asked not to be named, did confirm that the closure is imminent.

The shut-down is the sixth to hit Hamilton in less than two years. In the summer of 2004 the Windjammer Gallery closed after more than 20 years while the LOM Gallery, Heritage House and the Masterworks Foundation's gallery all closed last year. The Robert Bassett Gallery also closed recently.

Artist Vernon Clarke, who has displayed his paintings at the gallery, yesterday lamented the loss of yet another venue.

"I guess there are problems with the rents in Hamilton, which are just soaring," Mr. Clarke said.

"I believe there's going to be a jewellery store there ? that's what we've come down to another store selling trinkets but nothing Bermudian.

"I think we definitely need some sort of art movement, something that will support the arts and artists in Bermuda. The Government is doing a good job ? people might grumble but we have the National Gallery, the theatre and the Bermuda Society of Arts all at City Hall and it seems to be managed well.

"But high increases in rents in Hamilton seem to be the killer for galleries while the artists can't seem to live with the high commission that is necessary to keep the doors open."

Masterworks Foundation founder Tom Butterfield also expressed sadness at the news.

"It's regrettable that these galleries are closing and it brings me no sense of joy," he said.

"You spend your life working to promote the visual arts and then you see these galleries struggling at the retail end.

"It's not necessarily a single cause, I think we have to look at the big picture. But I am saddened about the Desmond Fountain Gallery closing because we need to keep our artistic heritage alive.

"There was a time when the BSoA would be having an opening and Windjammer would be having an opening and everybody would get together and go to all the galleries ? it was wonderful but we appear to have lost that."