Events for May 3, 2024
First Friday is celebrated on the first Friday of each month throughout Downtown Raleigh to showcase the best of our city's creative community. Thousands venture downtown to visit art galleries & studios open late to host exhibits, artist talks, and creative activities. Retailers and restaurants also get in on the fun with live music, vendor markets, specials/discounts, and more. There's something for everyone each First Friday.
Create your own First Friday itinerary by selecting the hearts for events and experiences you don't want to miss. Receive a custom map and itinerary to guide your First Friday evening!
Arts Access North Carolina launches their new gallery with an exhibition of "woven Strangers" by artist Jean Gray Mohs.
Contemporary artist Jean Gray Mohs, who focuses primarily on painting and sculpture, will be the first artist to display her work – a collection of dimensional acrylic paintings on wood – at the Arts Access Gallery. The “Woven Strangers” collection will be on display from March 1 through May 18 at 444 S. Blount Street, Suite 115B in Raleigh.
Mohs, a North Carolina native who had a double lung transplant, often contrasts materials like maple plywood and waxed thread in her pieces which reflect the interplay of strength and fragility in the face of her chronic illness.
“I’m honored to showcase 'Woven Strangers' at Arts Access, a beacon at the crossroads of arts, education, and disability. My pieces celebrate the beauty, delicate balance, and incredible resilience embodied in the journey of living with chronic illness and past disability.”
Over her career, Mohs has presented her work in more than 20 solo shows, participated in 91 group exhibitions, and contributed to 24 museum and university exhibitions. Her art has graced prestigious venues, including the Contemporary Art Museum, Artspace, and Peel Gallery.
The gallery marks a new chapter for Arts Access North Carolina, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.. The new space shifts Arts Access from an organization that most people know as a partner that helps other arts organizations improve accessibility through audio descriptions, on-site assessments, and training to one that is also promoting inclusivity through this new immersive gallery experience.
The gallery will host four shows throughout 2024. In addition to the spring gallery opening exhibition, there will be a show in summer, fall and winter. For more information about the gallery visit https://artsaccessinc.org/arts-access-gallery/
Celebrated every month in Downtown Raleigh, First Friday puts the best of our vibrant creative community on display. Roll through on Friday, 5/3 to browse our latest gallery by local artist Alex Stone and enjoy a VISUALS Tasting.
“ Eyrie one” an exhibition of paintings by Scott Eagle.
Scott Eagle is an associate professor and Area Coordinator of Painting and Drawing at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. His artworks have been exhibited and reproduced internationally. Publications featuring his artwork include The Oxford American, The New York Times, the Cleveland Plains Dealer, Wired Magazine, and numerous books. Scott was selected by Creative Quarterly Magazine as one of their top 100 creatives for 2013 and a life-size reproduction of his ARTLab mural was displayed over the front door of the US Embassy in Beijing, China in 2021. He works in a wide variety of medias including digital and is especially interested in the idea of the creative act as thinking through making.
Join cellist Jean Gay as she guides you into and through an immersive musical experience designed to bring you in deep connection with the sounds of her live performance. Jean is passionate about presenting music in settings and ways that encourage those present to engage fully, to feel open to ask questions and explore different aspects of their experience, and to hold curiosity and empathy when exploring unfamiliar territory.
For her performance at Current Wellness Jean will incorporate the following into the concert experience to facilitate deeper layers of listening and feeling: a guided body scan to open the program, ample opportunity for dialogue between pieces, simple instructions for a free-form group art piece to be created during a piece, and mad-lib inspired word sharing around another piece.This current program, SPARK, features works of five living composers, offering an opportunity to engage with current musical expression and imagination. Come ready to explore and experience these five pieces for solo cello in a new way, and to discover what the music inspires and awakens in you!
More information about SPARK may be found at jgcello.com/spark. Attendance is limited to 16 people to allow for dialogue and full participation by all those present.
SPARK composers & works:
Jessica Meyer “Delta Sunrise” and “Swerve” (2017/16)
Nathalie Joachim “Dam Mwen Yo” (2016)
Martha Bishop “Desert Gloom, Desert Radiance” (2000, rev. 2016)
Diajana Wallace “Shades” (2019)
When: May 3rd 6:30-7:30pm
Cost: $35 (members get 20% off)
Designed For Joy provides women in crisis with stability through immediate employment and support, removing the stigma of vulnerability. To date, we have hired over 130 women with $500,000 in living wages earned.
Shop our brand of leather handbags, jewelry, and home decor and provide living wage work for the next 100 women in Raleigh.
Tour our 5,000 square foot studio and see where and how our products are created.
Explore volunteer opportunities.
Gallery owner, art historian, and North Carolina native Charlene Newsom employs her broad knowledge of NC art to curate an extensive collection celebrating the best and brightest NC artists of past and present.
The show includes landmark pieces by influential North Carolina artists. Some of the biggest names and most important North Carolina art from the 20th century are included in this year’s show.
First Friday is almost here again and so is MOTHER’S DAY!! Just in time for that lasting gift for your Mom. Visit us and check out GFA’S NEW artwork and our newest artist addition!!
Our most recent artist member, Mary Kircher, a fiber artist and textile designer specializing in hand weaving and custom dye techniques, gets her inspiration from the wilderness. Her techniques include woven shibori, ikat, double weave and tapestry. She makes one-of-a-kind artwork for home or office in addition to functional objects.
Mark your calendar for our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION during RALEIGH’S JUNE FIRST FRIDAY EVENT on JUNE 7, 2024! Live music, small bites! Stay tuned for further details! Sign up for our monthly Newsletter on our website!
Glenwood Fine Art gallery is a working art studio with artists on site Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 5 PM . In addition, the gallery will open by appointment or when an artist is painting in the studio. Send us an email to request an appointment for times other than Friday or Saturday.
We hope to see you!!
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https://www.facebook.com/GlenwoodFineArt
@glenwoodfineartgallery
About Glenwood Fine Art
Location: 20 Glenwood Ave
Hours: Friday & Saturday 12 Noon - 5 PM
Other times by appointment or when an artist is painting
Website: glenwoodfineart.com
Contact us: info@glenwoodfineart.com
https://downtownraleigh.org/getting-around/parking
Welcome back for our third year of hosting First Friday Market and Movie Night! We are returning this May to downtown Raleigh to provide you with the best night money can't buy! A free movie in downtown Raleigh!
Before the movie starts, we will have live music by Michael Daughtry, so be ready to dance and sing along. There will also be a photo opportunity and other games scattered across the lawn.
Don't forget to stop by the vendor booths and shop for unique items. We have local artisans selling handmade jewelry, home decor, soaps, and much more! It's a great way to support local businesses while enjoying a fun night out.
Come hungry and ready to have a good time! We will have food trucks and bakeries lined up and ready to serve you their delicious snacks and meals! From Italian Ice to cupcakes to Bulkogi, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Of course, the main event is the movie. We'll be showing 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘴: 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘵𝘩 on the big screen at dusk, so you can kick back, relax, and enjoy the show! Bring blankets, chairs, and even inflatable mattresses, and get comfortable with your snacks and goodies.
The fun starts at 5:00 pm, so get here early to reserve your spot, as the lawn does tend to get full quickly. Be sure to stop by the Pop-Up Carolinas tent. Movie nights are free to attend, but we encourage you to check out our vendors and food trucks to keep these movies free. We hope to see you there!
About Our Company
At Pop-Up Carolinas we are committed to building community and providing fun and affordable entertainment for everyone. We only host free movie nights, so this is our sole focus! We have vendors and food trucks at each movie night, so come hungry and ready to have a great time!
The rest of the season's movies are yet to be determined, subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the know! www.popupcarolinas.com
Travel to a galaxy far, far away in the heart of Downtown Raleigh at First Order Friday!
Programming + Activities —
- Free screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens under the stars at 7:30pm
- Photo ops with Star Wars cosplayers (costumes encouraged!)
- Star Wars caricature drawings (5-7pm) and crafts
- Vendor market curated by Get2Know Raleigh
- Food trucks
- And more!
Tour Raleigh's First Downtown Podcast Studio. Meet the team and see how we can help you or your business bring your video content ideas to life!!