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

Obelisk home

Obelisk Home is having the opening reception of Anna Sistrunk: The Whimsical Collection in their Main Gallery from 6 pm – 10 pm. Live music by Tuba musician, Ralph Hepola, will be from 6 pm – 8 pm. In addition, the closing reception of Emerging, a group exhibition of high school students, will be in their Lower Level Gallery.

the creamery arts center

Join the SRAC for their Annual Art Auction opening on June’s FFAW from 5 – 7 pm! The proceeds of the auction go to support their Arts Programming! The auction will go live on June’s First Friday at 5pm and will be live until June 30th!

hotel vandivort

Hotel Vandivort is featuring artist Janelle Patterson in the lobby presenting her artwork for June’s Art Walk. She will be at the hotel from 5 pm – 7 pm, check it out!

formed: an artist collective

Join Formed for a signing of Nancy Dornan's book “I Married an Immigrant" available for signing during FFAW from 6 – 9 pm. In addition to her book signing, Nancy is also displaying new work: Palette Knife Paintings of the Old World. Enjoy refreshments and live music by Tony Menown from 6 – 9 pm.

founders park

Visit Founders Park during June’s First Friday Art Walk for live music by Lo and Behold and live art by OTC Fine Arts Students from 6 – 9 pm! Stay after dark for Free Movies in the Park with a showing of "50 First Dates." For more details, check out their website!

hold fast brewing

Hold Fast Brewing couldn't be more excited to welcome back local favorite, Alyssa Galvan. 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 12 pm, The Deck Pizza Co. starts serving by 5 pm, and music starts at 7 pm. Cheers!

park central branch library

Park Central Branch Library will be open from 6:30 pm – 9 pm for June’s First Friday Art Walk. They are proud to be hosting painter Jason Martin with his exhibit Color Your World!

the downtown church

Due to downtown construction, The Downtown Church has had to cancel their Art Walk Party.

j.l. long traders

J.L. Long Traders will be open for June’s FFAW from 10 am – 9 pm. This month, they are featuring two original paintings by musician Nate Fredrick.They are also featuring new prints from Molly Martin and an encore showing of paintings and prints from Katie Hopkins.

best of luck beer hall

Join Best of Luck Beer Hall for June’s Art Walk for new drinks and art! Doors open at 2 pm and they will be showing art by Shannon Joy. They will be featuring their brand new Blackberry Rum Punch and Summer Pils Shandy from Breckenridge (Colorado) Brewery, $1 off each all day!

fresh gallery

Please join Fresh Gallery from 6 pm – 9 pm for June’s FFAW to help them welcome two new artists! Photographer Steve Snyder and ceramic artist Eric Bosch. Also, Fresh is having a meet and greet with their Featured Artist, photographer Steve Snyder.

sculpture walk springfield

Sculpture Walk Springfield’s 2023-2024 Sculpture Collection is officially installed! Tours are available to be booked and are perfect for camps, groups, out-of-towners, or families! If you’re interested in scheduling one, email bridget@sculpturewalkspringfield.org.

transformation gallery & tattoo

Transformation Gallery & Tattoo will be participating in June's Art Walk! They will be open 6pm - 9pm and will be showcasing art from their staff. Be sure to check it out!

Bookmarx

BookMarx will be open for June’s First Friday Art Walk! Swing by anytime between 10:30 am – 9 pm during FFAW.

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

FFAW MEMBER BENEFITS

FFAW SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS

FFAW APPLICATION

ART WALK BYLAWS

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.