Remember First Friday openings in Shockoe Bottom? That was a long time ago, but when Richmond started having multiple galleries openings. Years later, it was officially named First Friday and brought all kinds of people to Broad Street for art and fun. A victim of it’s own success, it got crowded and noisy.

 

Then, the Main Street strip of galleries began to flourish, which is where we go now.

 

The hot time for downtown is the first Thursday. Several of the galleries (Ghostprint, Candela, Quirk and sometimes 1708) open for previews and it’s a smaller, more art-oriented crowd.

 

There are 2 months when we’ll still do downtown FF: October, because it’s the launch of the season and May, because VCU students open pop-up galleries (often just for the night). They’re not generally announced (even the faculty doesn’t often know), but here’s what I managed to find for this Friday:

   – 423 Broad (near 1708) was used for InLight in Nov. and has been a showcase for kinetic imaging since then.

   – ADA Gallery is showcasing two of VCU’s Fountainhead Fellows

   – VCU’s Anderson Gallery continues its MFA Thesis shows (5-7pm)

   – The Graphic Design MFA Show is at Gallery A (114A Virginia St, 5 – 8)

   – Futher afield, there’s: “Very Friendly” a student exhibit at The Highpoint Gallery, (Scott’s Addition)

   – 1st yr. Painting & Printmaking in the vacant space between Buz n Neds & Movieland on Boulevard (4 – 10)

 Come on down and see what else might surprise you this week.