First Friday Gallery Crawl

The First Friday gallery crawl is a unique opportunity for thousands of students, families and art lovers to engage with local art each month at unique locations in downtown and throughout the city. This grassroots event continues to thrive because of the collective vision and collaboration of galleries and artists.

As the name implies, First Friday happens the first Friday of each month. Hours vary between galleries, but most are open during the core hours of 7pm to 9pm. Most galleries use First Friday to unveil and debut new shows or as a closing reception. All venues are free and open to the public and several galleries incorporate artist demonstrations and/or live music. Not only does this event give guests the opportunity to view creative art space, it also is an excellent time to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork directly from artists.

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June 2 Events

Art House 310
310 South Laura Street 

Exhibition Hours: 6-10pm

Featured Artist: Chris Ramirez

Title of Exhibition: Art House 310 First Friday – Chris Ramirez

Full Exhibition: Show hangs through June 25th, 2023.

Event Description: 

Art House 310 First Friday – Chris Ramirez
Opening Reception | First Friday June 2nd, 2023 | 6-10pm

This event is free to attend and open to the public. Show hangs through June 25th, 2023. Art House 310 is located at 310 S. Laura. Two blocks SE of Douglas & Washington in downtown Wichita.

CHRIS RAMIREZ

As an artist, I am driven by a constant desire to explore and experiment with new ideas, techniques, and mediums. I believe that art is not just a form of self-expression, but a powerful tool for communicating complex ideas, emotions, and perspectives that are often difficult to put into words.

One of the key themes that runs throughout my work is the tension between order and chaos, and the ways in which these opposing forces can collide and intersect to create something truly unique and beautiful. This is why I am so drawn to occult images and mythologies. These images project ideas and symbols embedded deep in our psyche and collective unconsciousness.

I strive to create pieces that challenge the viewer’s expectations, encouraging them to see the world from a different perspective and to question the boundaries between reality, imagination, the sublime and banal.

At the heart of my artistic practice is a deep sense of curiosity, wonder, and exploration. Whether working in painting, sculpture, or other forms of media, I believe that every piece of art has the power to inspire, connect, and transform the viewer in profound and meaningful ways.

See more of Chris’ work online at https://chrisramirezart.com/ and on Instagram: @chrisramirezart 

Envision Arts Gallery
801 East Douglas Avenue 
(316) 440-1699

Exhibit title: 2nd Annual Youth Arts Exhibition | First Friday @ Envision Arts Gallery

The Envision Arts Gallery & Community Engagement Center is proud to present our 2nd Annual Youth Arts Exhibition opening on First Friday, June 2!

Immerse yourself in the world of a child's boundless imagination, where vibrant colors and imaginative forms burst into life. This exhibition will take you on an extraordinary adventure through the captivating artwork created by the talented children of the Cathy G. Hudson Envision Child Development Center (ECDC) and the Envision Arts After School Art Club.

This incredible journey not only allows you to witness their creativity but also provides an opportunity to support their growth and development. The ECDC and the Envision Arts After School Art Club provide a nurturing environment where children can freely express themselves through art, fostering their self-expression and nurturing their confidence.

Opening Reception
Friday, June 2 
5:00 - 9:00 PM
801 E. Douglas Ave, Suite 106
Wichita, Kansas 67202
Free and open to the public

The 2nd Annual Youth Arts Exhibition is open June 2-30
On display in the Patricia A. Peer Window Gallery.

GALLERY XII
412 East Douglas Avenue 

Featured Artist: Martha Wherry

Opening exhibit hours 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday June 2

On display through July 1

L'image
615 W. Douglas Avenue 
(316) 618-4839

Featuring Artist: Gretchen Howarth

Title of Exhibition: A blind body of work

Description: A body of work from a legally blind artist that is worth seeing.

Reception/Event Hours: 6-9 p.m.

The full exhibition will run through July 30

Mark Arts
1307 N. Rock Road 
(316) 634-2787

Exhibition Title: (In)Flux

Featured Artist: Brenda Lichman & Tim Stone

Event Hours: 6 to 9 p.m.

Event Description: Mark Arts is pleased to present striking, recent work by celebrated Wichita-based contemporary artists Brenda Lichman & Tim Stone. Lichman’s sumptuous ceramics combine tension and chance with form and surface. Luminous silhouettes of place and space are captured in Stone’s paintings, initiating ephemeral environments that feel at once familiar and distant. Concepts of constant change are evident throughout both artists’ practices, drawing the viewer into a captivating journey of flux and transformation.
Join us in celebration with the artists at the opening reception. June 2 at 6 p.m with live music and a cash bar. 

Then, a public artist-led gallery tour will be held on Thursday, June 29 at 6 p.m.

Old Cowtown Museum
1865 Museum Boulevard 
(316) 219-1871

Come out for First Fridays Under the Stars!

We will have live music by Profanity on the depot stage, along with live music by Matthew Brown in the Saloon. We will also have food trucks, drink truck, gunfights, games, mini-melodramas and more! The schedule for each Friday will be posted a couple weeks in advance, so watch our page for updates!
Admission is just $7/person, Cowtown members, military and teachers get in free!

Also, for the first Friday of Riverfest, June 2, your Riverfest button will get you free admission!

Come see us in the Old West, where the past is present! 

FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2023 AT 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Reuben Saunders Gallery
3215 East Douglas Avenue 
(316) 682-1481

Exhibit: "MATERIALIST" - RSG Group Exhibition

This group exhibition will feature artworks by regional artist group called “MATERIALIST”!

Featured Artists:
-Jessie Fisher
-Melanie Johnson
-Christopher Lowrance
-Michael McCaffery
-Scott Seebart

We hope you will join us for our opening reception on First Friday, June 2nd from 5:30pm – 9:00pm!

Standard Issue Co.
924 East Douglas Avenue 
(316) 364-4958

Featured Artist: Bill Goffrier

Event hours: 6 to 9 p.m.

Uniquities Home
141 N. Rock Island 
(316)-214-2301

Event: Una Vida Tequila Tasting AND Cow Hides by David Smart

Event Description: Uniquities is excited to host a tequila tasting by Una Vida Tequila as well as a display of beautiful cow hides and merchandise by David Smart. Come shop with us on Friday!

Exhibition Hours: 1 pm to 7 pm

Vertigo 232 Art Gallery
232 North Market Street 
(316) 264-2450

Title of Exhibition:  Get Rad! The Art Of The Skateboard 2023

More than 20 featured artists!

Exhibition Hours: 5-9 p.m., Friday, June 2

White Crow Cider Company
1236 East Waterman Street 

Title of Exhibition: Points of Pale Light: Capturing Outer Space Through Photography

Featured Artist: Brent Newton

Exhibit hours: Thursday 3-9, Friday 3-10, Saturday 12-10, Sunday 12-6

Event Description: Come enjoy some hard cider and photos of Space by local Astronomer Brent Newton. Photo and Wood Laminate prints will be available for purchase throughout the month of June.

William J. Reals Gallery of Art-West
1010 N. Kansas 
(316) 293-2643

Featured Artists: Eden Quispe, Grace Griffith and Dale Boztas

Title of Exhibition: Three Sisters

Event hours: 5 to 7 p.m. on June 2

Event Description: 

A First Friday opening reception for the exhibit "Three Sisters" will take place from 5-7 p.m. Friday, June 2, in the West Atrium at KU School of Medicine-Wichita. Complimentary refreshments will be served. 

Eden Quispe, Grace Griffith and Dale Boztas (all with the maiden name "Page") are three sisters who grew up in inner-city Wichita until 1996 when they moved to rural Sedgwick County. All have all traveled extensively overseas which often plays a part in their work.

Grace Griffith’s work focuses on what she observes in the natural world, combining both loose brush strokes and fine detail to capture the shapes and colors that fascinate her most.

Eden Quispe explores the tension of traditional and contemporary values in midwestern culture through the experience of motherhood. She creates interior scenes using traditional quilting techniques, embroidery, printing and collage using found textiles.

Dale Boztas views the urban and rural landscape of the country of Turkey where she lived 10 years. Her bright photographs lovingly capture the country and culture that she came to hold dear.

The William J. Reals Gallery of Art at KU School of Medicine-Wichita is free and open to the public. The public entrance is the patient entrance on the east side of the building (1001 N. Minneapolis). Parking is available in the visitor parking lot or on Minneapolis Street. 

Upcoming Event: July 7

The next First Friday event will take place on Friday, July 7. A list of participating venues will be available on this webpage one week prior to the event. Mark your calendars for the following 2023 First Friday dates to never miss an event:

  • August 4
  • September 1
  • October 6
  • November 3
  • December 1

Submit Your Event

Are you an artist or gallery owner interested in being included on the First Friday list? Contact us for more information. Since there is no designated organizing body for First Friday, all participating venues are required to do their own marketing and advertising. Downtown Wichita does provide a listing on our website of all venues that are participating for the general public and visitors to use.

Submit your First Friday exhibit info no less than one week prior to the event in the following format to be listed on the Downtown Wichita website. Fill out the form below or email your submission to madison@downtownwichita.org.

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