First Friday Art Walk is expanding to Commercial Street on Sept. 4, adding six C-Street venues to the monthly event.
Springfield Regional Arts Council Executive Director Leslie Forrester said the expansion builds on C-Street’s growing arts scene.
“There has been some history of them participating in the Art Walk program many years ago,” said Forrester. “As businesses have come and settled in and really embraced the artistic scene on the north side of town, it was a natural extension where there's big groupings of creative businesses and galleries and artists.”
Forrester said the expansion also reflects goals outlined in the Springfield Regional Arts Council’s Cultural Plan. The Cultural Plan states one of its goals is to “evolve First Friday Art Walk into a more robust and visible communitywide celebration of Springfield’s arts.”
“Each venue is its own unique space and has its own unique vibe,” said Forrester. “And so you can experience a lot of different things and cultures and components of our community just on one street or just in the downtown area alone, and have access to an opportunity to connect with neighbors that you may not otherwise bump into.”
This month’s participating C-Street venues are C-Art Gallery, The Glo Center, Upside Down Mercantile, The Coven Collective, Eurasia Coffee Co. and Mumbles1888.
“One of the best parts and long-running traditions of this event is the community aspect,” said Forrester. “Being out and about, enjoying our fantastic downtown area and local businesses and experiencing your community together.”
First Friday Art Walk is free and takes place at 19 participating venues in downtown Springfield and on Commercial Street.
To learn more about the Springfield Regional Arts Council, visit its website springfieldarts.org