Arts Council of the Valley’s April First Fridays Downtown features in-person events throughout the month at several locations, with other venues offering virtual arts experiences – or some combination of the two.
A First Fridays Downtown interactive map provides information on each venue (valleyarts.org/first-fridays-map).
Arts experiences during April include:
- Arts Incarnate (292 N. Liberty St.) is hosting Possum Radio April 16, 7-8:30 p.m. Visit artsincarnate.com/exhibitions to reserve free concert tickets, or watch live online.
- Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S. Main St.) features ORIGIN, an exhibition of photography by Jason Starr.
- OASIS Fine Art & Craft (103 S. Main St.) will hold an in-person opening reception during First Fridays Downtown, 5-8 p.m. for spring. The exhibition features works in a variety of mediums by OASIS members.
- The little Gallery Underground (JMU Music Library 880 S. Main St.) is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drawings by JMU students are on display this month in Playlist: Wavelength. Contact JMU Parking (jmu.edu/parking) to park on campus. Or, visit online (facebook.com/ThelittleGalleryUnderground).
- Smith House Galleries (311 S. Main St.) opened an online-only exhibition March 29 (valleyarts.org/current-exhibition). Sponsored by the JMU School of Art, Design and Art History, Lingering offers a personal exploration of the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes – and lens – of artist Pato Hebert, who documented his daily walks in Los Angeles’ Elysian Park to repair his lungs while recovering from COVID-19.
- The Virginia Quilt Museum (301 S. Main St.) examines popular 1960s and 1970s color schemes and psychedelic music in Groovy Quilts and the Art Quilt Movement (youtu.be/F7-znlJjvg4). The museum is also open for in-person visits Tues-Sat, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Wilson Downtown Gallery (83 S. Main St.) offers a chance to view watercolor and oil works by Rebecca Pence during business hours (Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm) and online viewing at wilsondowntowngallery.com.
Other 2021 First Fridays Downtown participating venues include: Dancing With Karen, Explore More Discovery Museum, Harrisonburg Baptist Church, Heritage Bakery & Cafe, Hess Financial, Horizon Gifts, Look West Gallery @ The Mark-It, The Oliver Art House (in Broadway), Park Gables Gallery at VMRC, Restless Moons Brewing, Rockingham Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, and Ten Thousand Villages.
Coordinated by ACV, First Fridays Downtown is a full-year community event, including 20 participating venues and bringing arts experiences – virtually and in-person – to hundreds of people of all ages each first Friday. Support is provided by ACV’s 2021 Cultivating the Arts Platinum Sponsors Kathy Moran Wealth Group, Matchbox Realty, and Riner Rentals.
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