The mood was somber on the steps of the Beaufort County Courthouse on Thursday, as artists, musicians and others with a stake in the Inner Banks Artisans’ Center gathered to witness its sale.

Attorney Keith Mason read the foreclosure notice and opened bidding on the 5,000 square foot property that has become a fixture in the downtown Washington arts scene. There were no other bidders after an initial bid of $200,000 — one that Mason made on behalf of the bank that currently holds the mortgage on the property, Emerald Portfolio LLC.

The sale, however, is not final — an upset bid process will allow anyone within the next 10 days to raise the first bid by 5 percent. If that occurs, other parties then have the ability to up the bid within the same constraints. Until 10 days passes and no other bids are made, the future of the Artisans’ Center is uncertain.

The gallery going into foreclosure has potentially left many local artists without a place to exhibit, should a new owner close the center and repurpose the building. Long host to studio spaces rented by artists, arts classes and the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association — its twice a week jams and other performances — Inner Banks Artisans’ Center represents Washington’s growing reputation in the eastern North Carolina art world.

“It all hinges on the future of what we’ve got going on and you’re looking at about 40 artists that won’t have a place to display their work,” said BCTMA musician and watercolorist Bob Carr, prior to the auction. Carr said he attended “primarily just to see who buys it and if they’re interested in keeping it like it is. That’s what we’re interested in — keeping it exactly like it is.”

That remains unknown, unless another bidder steps forward with the clear intention to keep the Artisans’ Center open — an event many are still hoping for, including former owner Bob Henkel.

“I’ve been with Bob since he opened and he really put his heart in this,” said artist Louise Sharpless.

The artists, however, are a resilient bunch — already the Beaufort County Arts Council has offered to host the BCTMA jams in the Turnage Theater lobby — and those who’ve leased studio space are positive they’ll find another place if the artisans’ center eventually closes.

“I’ve been painting for 40 years and I will another find another place to paint,” said Jerry Bradley. “I haven’t heard one person who’s in there that hasn’t said the same thing.”