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First Friday Art Walk

First Friday Art Walk, or the Art Walk for short, is a program of the Springfield Regional Arts Council. Established over 20 years ago, the Art Walk is a free and self-guided program that allows the community to get an insider look at local art, businesses, and galleries! As our name suggests, the Art Walk happens on the First Friday of every month and showcases the art, food, and fun of Downtown Springfield. As an added bonus, most FFAW Members show art for the rest of the month as well, be sure to check out their information for more details!
Recent Newsletter 

VENUE INFOMATION

carolla arts 
exhibition center

Curated by Associate Professor Sarah Williams, Tex-US features work from Annie Arnold, Bryce Lafferty, Robert Milnes, Ryder Richards, and Loring Taoka, and is accompanied by a gallery talk from Judy Tedford Deaton. The Carolla Arts Exhibition Center will be open from 6-9 pm for FFAW.

Obelisk Home

Join Obelisk Home for the opening reception of Life Underway: Abstract Assemblages on Life's Lessons by J. Kent Martin for March’s FFAW from 6-10 pm. There will be complimentary beverages, socializing, and three levels of original art to explore!

Park central 
branch library

Park Central Branch Library will be open from 6:30-9 pm for FFAW. They will be hosting photographer Gregory L. Booker with his exhibit West. At 7pm, Jacqueline Batista-Martinez will be giving an Art Talk on “Ambition and Homesickness at the Mosque of Cordoba.”

Formed: an artist collective

Join Formed: An Artist Collective for their celebration of artist Andi Snethern: “I am mostly self-taught and love to paint bright florals, landscapes and pet portraits... It was an honor to have ‘The Ozark Bridge’ selected for the 2022 Watercolor USA exhibition at the Springfield Art Museum.” Formed will be open from 6-9 pm for FFAW with live music by Harley’s Muse from 6:30-8:30 pm.

Transformation 
gallery & tattoo

For March’s Art Walk, Transformation Gallery & Tattoo is showing the work of Megan Frauenhoffer until 9pm. She will be showing a mixture of mediums including acrylic paint, gouache paint, oil paint, and digital prints.

fresh gallery

Join Fresh Gallery for the 2023 Fresh Gallery Jury Art Show artist reception and awards ceremony at March’s FFAW from 6-9 pm. The show is sponsored by Simmons Bank Private Wealth and features some of the best local and regional artists. The 2023 Fresh Gallery Art Show Exhibit runs from March 3-31, 2023.

the Creamery arts center

Join the Artists Empowerment Collective for their 3rd annual Show Your Colors: Artists Showcase! Featuring work from local and regional artists of color, this exhibition opens at the Creamery Arts Center on Friday, March 3rd, with an opening reception from 5-7 pm. Be sure to stick around for live music by local band Unessential Jane from 6-7 pm.

sculpture walk springfield

The Sculpture Walk Springfield Culinary Kickoff Dinner benefitting the 8th Collection of Public Sculpture in Downtown Springfield is on March 26th, from 5-8 pm. Enjoy an evening at Metropolitan Grill for a curated 4-course dinner with wine pairings! Individual tickets and table sponsorships are still available for purchase by following the QR Code above!

hold fast brewing

Hold Fast Brewing is thrilled to be welcoming back Isaac Kenneth. Isaac and his sultry voice take the stage at 7pm. Get here early so you can grab dinner from the food truck and top it all off with your favorite Hold Fast Brew. Brewery opens at 12pm, food truck starts serving by 5pm, and music starts at 7pm. Cheers!

brick city gallery

The Annual Juried Student Exhibition features work from the breadth of MSU’s department’s undergraduate and graduate students. Brick City Gallery is also excited to continue the legacy of Mark J Hall with the Mark J Hall Best in Show Award in addition to many other monetary awards. MSU’s Brick City Gallery will be open between 6-9 pm for the Art Walk.

drury pool arts gallery

How Many More? by Rebecca Miller opens on March's Art Walk from 5-8 pm. The images in this series are acrylic on canvas paired with items from the artist’s childhood (c. 1976-1981). The work seeks to reflect on how quickly gun violence can change one’s trajectory. Paired with these paintings are photographs from the 2018 and 2022 March for Our Lives protests in Washington D.C.

bookmarx

Peewee Presents: Let's Celebrate! An art exhibit that celebrates celebration.Every moment is something worth commemorating. This exhibit aims to capture that feeling of joy, nostalgia, love, hope and community that blooms with every party we throw for ourselves and others. Come see it March 3rd-March 31st in the back room of Bookmarx!

Best of luck beer hall

Join Best Of Luck Beer Hall for March's First Friday Art Walk till midnight!! Artist Deana Marcus will be showing her work! Doors open at 2 pm and Best of Luck Beer Hall will be featuring our House Margarita for $7 and $1 off pints of Yuengling all day! 

Coming soon!

Stay tuned to see who will be open next month!

Coming soon!

Stay tuned to see who will be open next month!

COMING SOON!

Stay tuned to see who will be open next month!

COMING SOON!

Stay tuned to see who will be open next month!

COMING SOON!

Stay tuned to see who will be open next month!

how to join

Participating businesses must be located within the Downtown Arts District, bounded by Chestnut Expressway to the north, Cherry Street to the south, National Avenue to the east and Grant Avenue to the west; and agree to abide by the terms of the First Friday Art Walk Bylaws.

To View and Print our Application and Bylaws, please click on the links below or contact Claire Utley, FFAW Communications Director at artwalk@springfieldarts.org or 417 862 2787

frequently asked questions

General Information

When and where is First Friday Art Walk held?

First Friday Art Walk is held 5-10 p.m. the first Friday of each month in locations throughout downtown Springfield, MO.
for artists

I am an artist and I would like to display my work at Art Walk. How do I do that?

All FFAW venues schedule and manage their own showings. You can reach out directly to these businesses/galleries, or to be included on the FFAW Artist Resource for venues to access when scheduling, email the following to artwalk@springfieldarts.org :

3-4 artwork sample images in JPEG format
brief statement about you and your work
preferred contact information
list previously shown local venues (when and where)
website and social links
FFAW venues will contact the artists directly for scheduling.

Is there a way to get information about my art out to the general public?

 Yes! By joining the Springfield Regional Arts Council as an Artist member, you get free access to the Artist Registry, where you can post a bio and examples of your work. Art Walk directs members to the Registry on a regular basis when they are seeking artists for upcoming shows. The Artist membership is only $25 a year and includes free admission to SRAC events, such as Artsfest!

Do I need to do anything to prepare my art for display?

All two-dimensional artwork for display should be securely wired for hanging; sawtooth hangers are generally not acceptable. Delicate works should be protected by a frames with glass; some works, such as oil canvases, should not be glassed in as they cannot “breathe,” and paint may adhere to the glass. Three-dimensional works need to be stable enough to stand alone without endangering the viewer. Three-dimensional pieces that hang from the ceiling, such as small sculptures or mobiles, must be securely wired for hanging.
for businesses

How do I participate in Art Walk?

You need to join Art Walk as a member or a sponsor. View the First Friday Art Walk Application email artwalk@springfieldarts.org 

What’s the difference?

Art Walk members must be located in the Downtown Arts District and are required to display original artwork, pay monthly dues, and meet the Art Walk’s promotional deadline of the 10th of the month before any given Art Walk. Art Walk sponsors are not required to be located downtown and do not participate month-to-month.

What are the costs of membership vs. sponsorship?

Members pay a one-time initiation fee of $100, then $60 per month. For sponsorships, we offer three different levels at varying price points depending on what you want to get out of the program.

Are those the only sponsorship options?

No, we also offer category exclusives – meaning no other business in your category can sponsor as long as you are a sponsor in good standing – as well as presenting sponsorships on a quarterly or yearly basis; these options range from $1,200 to $10,000 annually.

What is the Downtown Arts District?

The Downtown Arts District is Art Walk’s designated geographic area. It is bounded by Chestnut Expressway to the north, Cherry Street to the south, National Avenue to the East and Grant Avenue to the west. Any business located in those bounds can be an Art Walk member

I want to join Art Walk as a member, but I don’t know any artists. How do I find people to display in my space?

First and foremost, you should check out the Artist Registry at the Springfield Regional Arts Council, available online at www.SpringfieldArts.org/ArtistRegistry. As a member, you can also access an artist resource listing local artists that would love to participate in FFAW. You can also issue your own call for artists through your website or social media outlets.

I’ve never done an art display before. What do I need to do to make this work?

First, you need to decide what kind of art you want to display. If you want to do two-dimensional art, i.e. paintings, drawings, and other “wall” art, you will need to be able to hang the art securely via wall mounts, display rails, shelves, a hanging system, or easels. If you want to do three-dimensional art, i.e. sculpture or pottery, you will need plenty of floor space and appropriate stands, shelves, or pedestals.

How much art should I display?

That depends primarily on the size of the artwork. If an artist works in large-scale pieces, 4 feet or larger to a side, you might get away with as few as 6 or 8 pieces; however, most artists do not work in large scale. A good display is usually 10 to 15 pieces or more. You need to display enough work that it is 1. worth the artist’s time and effort to transport and hang the art and 2. worth the visitors’ time to come to your location to see it.

art walk sponsors

2022 Newsletters

Feburary 2022 Art Walk News 
March 2022 Art Walk News 
April 2022 Art Walk News 
May 2022 Art Walk News 
June 2022 Art Walk News 
July 2022 Art Walk News 
August 2022 Art Walk News 
September 2022 Art Walk News 
October 2022 Art Walk News 
November 2022 Art Walk News 
December 2022 Art Walk News 
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