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| downtowncrowd.com
First Fridays Art Walk By Dawn Gresko
Downtown’s New Creative Tradition
T
here’s a new way to explore downtown’s creative side: gallery doors swing open, music drifts onto the sidewalks and artists step out from behind their mediums to greet visitors. Each stop reveals a new collection of paintings, sculptures, photography and handcrafted works waiting to be discovered. That's the vision behind First Fridays Art Walk, a new monthly event bringing residents and visitors together downtown for an evening of creativity, connection and exploration. “It’s more than an art event: it’s an opportunity to connect with the artists, the community and the creativity that make downtown Pensacola so special,” Organizer and Co-Founder of First Fridays Art Walk Gretchen Paux said. “Art is the invitation. Culture is the experience. Creativity is the energy. Connection is the outcome. That’s the heart of First Fridays Art Walk.” Held on the first Friday of every month from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, the free, family-friendly event invites everyone to experience downtown through its galleries, businesses and creative spaces. Guests can wander at their own pace, meet local artists, enjoy live music and discover the unique personalities that make each gallery a destination. Complimentary trolley service makes it easy to hop from one location to the next, encouraging visitors to experience more of downtown's growing art community in a single evening. While First Fridays Art Walk is a new event, the inspiration behind it has been years in the making. For decades, Blue Morning Gallery has welcomed visitors on the first Friday of each month for featured artist receptions, a tradition that has become a favorite among local art lovers. Inspired by the success of those events, Blue Morning Gallery ceramic artist Gretchen Paux saw an opportunity to expand that experience beyond a single gallery and began discussing the idea with fellow downtown artist and gallery owner, Sarah Soule Webb.
“Blue Morning Gallery had been hosting First Fridays for several years thanks to Sue Woodson, Beth Stage and the gallery members,” Paux said. “I approached Sarah Soule Webb with the idea of expanding Blue Morning Gallery’s First Fridays into a collaborative Art Walk that would connect artists, galleries and creative spaces throughout downtown. It quickly became clear that we shared the same vision, and together we set out to bring it to life.” Together, they imagined something bigger: a collaborative event that would shine a spotlight on all of downtown's galleries, in addition to a few participating businesses, while celebrating the artists who help define Pensacola's creative identity. Their vision quickly gained support from the Downtown Improvement Board (DIB), which partnered with the organizers to help bring the event to life. The monthly Art Walk is also supported by downtown business sponsors whose contributions help fund complimentary trolley service for attendees. Current sponsors include the DIB, Pensacola Title Company and Boyles & Boyles Attorneys-At-Law. The inaugural Art Walk debuted in June, just after the completion of the New Palafox streetscape improvements, inviting visitors to experience downtown's refreshed streets while exploring its flourishing arts scene. The response was immediate, with both residents and visitors embracing the opportunity to spend an evening moving from gallery to gallery, meeting artists and experiencing downtown in a fresh, engaging way.