In Wilmington, art-savvy locals and visitors find an inspiring mix of original art, artists, and art spaces. Fourth Friday Gallery Nights provide an opportunity to meet artists and to experience an impressive array of new art.From 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the Fourth Friday of each month, art enthusiasts stroll through fine-art galleries plus museums, coffee shops, breweries, restaurants, and real-estate offices that showcase rotating art exhibits. Here are some tips to enhance your Fourth Friday Gallery Night experience:
A Movable Visual Feast
Fourth Friday Gallery Night is a movable feast for the eyes and soul and a good way to experience Wilmington as an inspiring, diverse arts destination. Organized by the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County, Fourth Friday Gallery Nights bring together the community’s bounty of artists, small businesses, non-profit organizations, locals, and visitors who love art.
Participating art spaces include: Acme Art Studios; ACES Gallery; Century 21; Gallery Citrine; Flytrap Brewing; Genesis Block; Grit and Grace; Intracoastal Realty; New Elements Gallery; Port City Java; Port City Pottery & Fine Crafts; TheArtWorksTM; The Bryand Gallery; Burgwin-Wright Museum & Gardens; Valhalla Gallery; 110h9 Gallery; and The Wilma W. Daniels Gallery at Cape Fear Community College. Follow the Arts Council’s social media channels for updates and additional participants.
A Celebration of Art for Everyone
The free, family-friendly Gallery Nights include traditional, contemporary, and experimental art with something for everyone. Art venues vary from smaller spaces to a large renovated warehouse at Acme Art Studios and a former manufacturing plant at theArtWorksTM that hosts over 50 artists’ studios, classrooms, and a gift shop, plus a 7,200-square-foot gallery and event space showcasing paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, photography, and more.
There are also art exhibits in the only structure in Wilmington from the colonial era (1770) at the Burgwin-Wright Museum & Garden, in the Bullock Hospital Building (1925) at ACES Gallery, and in the historic Cotton Exchange complex dating back to the 19th century at Port City Pottery & Fine Crafts.
Plan Your Route
Select nearby art venues to visit within walking distance in the same neighborhood or travel to a few of the venues across the various districts. Each place is unique. For example, you will often find live music at theArtWorksTM in the South Front Arts District.
Travel with Ease
Explore on foot, on bicycle, by car, or via the free Port City Trolley. The Trolley stops in the North Riverfront, Brooklyn Arts District/North Fourth Street, Central Business, Castle Street Arts & Antique District, and South Front Arts District. The Trolley provides services to each of the five districts every 40 minutes.
Parking is free for the first 90 minutes in the city parking decks. Street parking is available at no charge at parking meters after 6:30 p.m. in the Central Business District and after 5:00 p.m. in various parts of downtown and during official city holidays. Check the information on parking meters for specific times. Note that private parking lots charge parking fees 24/7.
Be Spontaneous
It can take more than one Fourth Friday Gallery Night to visit each art space. Time flies when talking with so many people, especially the artists, and when looking at new art. You will enjoy the uniqueness of each art space, so be sure to note the regular business hours of the ones you missed.
As you navigate your route, you may also notice outdoor public sculpture and how downtown Wilmington’s visual art converges with music, theatre, dance, film, the literary arts, and the culinary arts at unique restaurants, bars, and breweries. Find additional local art resources for Wilmington and Beaches here.
Note: Fourth Friday Gallery Nights operate in accordance with CDC masking guidelines. Participants are asked to comply with the rules of each exhibit.
