First Fridays

Many cities have art events on the first Friday of every month. Galleries open their doors in the evenings, some studios open up for visitors, artists come out to support fellow artists, people come out looking to socialize and celebrate the end of the work week. Some communities call these events "First Friday" or "Gallery Crawl." No matter what it is called, it is all about celebrating local artists and art based businesses.

I am based in Pittsburgh, PA where we have a bustling and hustling arts community. For the First Friday of the month is Unblurred, which is in our Penn Avenue arts district. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust also has a Gallery Crawl a few Fridays a year.  The Frick Pittsburgh also has First Friday events every month.

Six years ago, I moved to Pittsburgh from Tallahassee, FL. In Tally there is First Friday events in Railroad Square Art Park, the city's creative arts district. Though it has been a while since I have been to First Friday there, I remember Florida State University having some of their student studios in that same district, so there was an opportunity to see young artist showing their work.

I have also visited First Friday events in St. Augustine, FL and New Haven, CT and each event shed a light on what was happening at that moment in each of those cities. Though those two places are very different, one thing was the same: artists were showing their art and the community gathered to participate.

Does your community have a regular art event that takes place on the first Friday of the month? Don't know? Well, I encourage you to find out--you never know what amazing creative people are living in your neighborhood! And if your town doesn't have an event like this, maybe you should consider organizing one for your Neck of the Woods! Be supportive, share your work, enhance your community!

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