A unique art gallery needs to raise £15,000 in a matter of days to ensure its survival.

Onca Gallery in St George’s Place in Brighton has launched the fundraising campaign in a bid to stay open beyond the end of the month.

The gallery – which claims to be the only city-based ecological arts space in the country – is looking to raise the money by April 27, with more than 60 backers raising £3,500 already.

Donors can give as little as £1 to the cause, although people with larger pockets could have a fish-inspired sculpture created specifically for them if they donate £2,000.

An extra £500 on top of that figure will give the donor the chance to put on their own week-long show at the gallery.

Staff say the funding will give them “space to grow”, with 40% of the money raised used to meet staffing costs, a quarter on rent, 15% on utility bills and 10% on supplies.

The £15,000 is a minimum target for the gallery team, while an additional £5,000 will help them widen their network of supporting artists to more than 5,000 contributors.

Another £10,000 will help Onca develop their 2015 theme called Inside Ourselves, working with artists, projects and partnerships.

Doubling the £15,000 target would mean the gallery could continue at their current location until at least 2015, allowing them to employ a larger team including a part-time fundraiser and outreach officer.

The gallery started in an empty shop 18 months ago after director Laura Coleman was inspired by her friendship with a rescued puma called Wayra, who now lives at a wildlife refuge in Bolivia due to deforestation.

Since its opening, the venue has hosted ten exhibitions as well as workshops, film nights, creative writing, storytelling, parades and puppet shows.

The gallery, which has the backing of Green MP Caroline Lucas, artist Chris Drury, writer Robert MacFarlane and illustrator John Vernon Lord, has also developed links with universities, businesses, cultural facilities and conservation groups in the city.

Lauren Davies, the gallery’s part-time manager, said: “We try to bring the issues of our changing environment that people probably don’t see living in the city and remote from the natural world.

“We don’t try to be in your face, we try and use storytelling, performance and artwork that aim to delight people and be a cause of celebration.

“We are not a publically-funded gallery and now after being open for more than our first year we are thinking about our longer-term plans and how we can be self-sufficient for the next few years.”

To make a donation to the art gallery, visit the website www.kickstarter.com/projects/1322037178/the-onca-gallery-one-network-for-conservation-and.