There are two rooms on 13 E. Tulane Rd. in Clintonville. What they are is a matter of debate.

“A studio,” said one of the renters.

“A project space,” said another.

No, insisted another — it is a “project place.”

Whatever it is, artists Ryan Agnew, Jamie Boyle, Herb Vincent Peterson and Aimee Sones all agree on one thing — their space is not just a gallery.

It would be difficult to convince a curious passerby of this. The front room has the classic gallery look with its white walls and wooden floors.

But unlike most of the similar-looking art establishments in Columbus that have one show up for an entire month, 13 E. Tulane holds a variety of events for shorter amounts of time.

Since opening last summer, the space has been a venue for read-ins, senior thesis shows, garage sales, artist talks, yoga classes and a weekly video support group for filmmakers.

The four members of 13 E. Tulane met through Ohio State’s Master of Fine Arts program, and three worked together at OSU professor Ann Hamilton’s studio.

The idea for a collective space came out of a conversation between Boyle and Peterson while they were at work.

“I think the words I used at the time were, ‘I’m dying. I need something. I need an outlet to share my ideas. Even if they just hit the wall and break to pieces,'” Peterson said.

Convincing Agnew of the need was more difficult.

“Sometimes, as an artist, I feel like I would rather just be in a cave somewhere, a hermit,” Agnew said. “But that’s not the best thing for me. I need to be in the public sphere. I need the dialogue.”

After all four were on board, they started looking for places to rent. At first, a building on North Campus seemed perfect. But after signing a contract and cleaning the room, they found a surprise — a gaping hole in the floor that had been covered up.

After getting out of the contract, the four found their current location on Tulane through a friend.

Unlike most art spaces, the four split the rent, which is cheaper than them individually renting studio spaces. They do not rely on art sales or on renting out their space to others.

“We don’t take public proposals, and we don’t rent out the space. The things that have been happening in the space are things that we have generated or had happen through close friends,” Sones said. “We’re personally invested.”

However, there are events open to the public. The weekly video support group that 13 E. Tulane has been promoting allows anyone who is working with film or video to show work to an audience. After the showing, a discussion is held and artists are offered constructive criticism.

The session on Nov. 3 showed an experimental abstract piece as well as a film of a miniature gallery going through different environmental effects.

The group meets weekly on Tuesday nights but not the last Tuesday of every month.

For more information on upcoming events visit itlookslikeitsopen.blogspot.com.