It was a good week for Gibson Fay-LeBlanc. On Wednesday, he and his son stayed up late to watch his beloved Chicago Cubs win the World Series. Earlier in the day, the directors of SPACE Gallery in Portland named him interim director.

He’s happy about the SPACE gig; he’s thrilled about the Cubs. “It was an amazing moment,” he said. “I can still barely believe it happened. It was pretty special to have my baseball-loving 11-year-old watching it with me, too.”

As for SPACE, Fay-LeBlanc will helm the organization as its board of directors continues a national search to replace longtime director Nat May, who announced in October he was leaving the nonprofit arts organization.

Fay-LeBlanc is Portland poet laureate and program director at Hewnoaks Artist Colony in Center Lovell. He lives in Portland.

“I’m a big fan of SPACE and a huge supporter of what they do,” he said. “There are so many great events – readings and plays and films – that I just love. I believe in what they do.”

SPACE is Portland’s leading alternative art space. It hosts bands and readings by authors, screens movies and shows contemporary art.

As interim director, Fay-LeBlanc will help smooth the transition between May, who directed SPACE for 13 years, and the next director.

Fay-LeBlanc expects to be on the job for six to nine months. He said he might be interested in becoming the director if things work out, but he’s not looking past the next few months, yet. “I could end up throwing my name in the ring, but I am happy to serve SPACE and the art community as interim director.”

Correction: This story was updated Nov. 5 to replace an incorrectly labeled photo.

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