If you happen to be an art lover and are lucky enough to be in Winnipeg on the first Friday of the month, then you are in for a treat. First Fridays is an art event centred around the vibrant Exchange District, where artists and craftspeople invite the public into their studios and spaces so that they can see how they work, and hopefully even buy a piece or two to take home. The First Friday concept is a fun one, and is embraced in cities all across Canada and the US, enabling people to get closer to art than usual, and enjoy unique experiences as they do so.

Participating galleries and studios stay open longer (usually until at least 9pm), and as well as getting to mingle with the artists are craftspeople, you may well encounter a demonstration of them throwing clay or working on whatever it is they create right there in front of you. Some galleries may offer up wine and nibbles to keep you refreshed as you absorb all that culture, and sometimes musicians play in the spaces to provide a little extra entertainment. First Fridays are very civilized, and can be a lot of fun. They are an excellent way to explore art in Winnipeg.

Also included in the First Fridays programming are talks about various aspects of the art world (in December there’s a talk about ceramics) and organized walks to help people get a deeper understanding of the Winnipeg arts scene as they explore the participating galleries, studios, and spaces.

The last First Friday of 2015 is happening on December 5th, and you’ll find a listing of the galleries and studios that are participating on the event website. Don’t forget to take a little cash if you plan on buying a few artistic Christmas presents while you’re there, as not all vendors will take debit/ credit cards.

 

Staying in one of our gorgeous Winnipeg Executive Suites puts you close to the Exchange District, allowing you to enjoy the fabulous arts scene there any day or night that you choose to.