Arts Council of the Valley Announces First Fridays Downtown Events for April

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March 26, 2021
Arts Council of the Valley Announces First Fridays Downtown Events for April
HARRISONBURG, VA – Arts Council of the Valley’s April First Fridays Downtown features in-person events throughout the month at several locations, with other venues offering virtual arts experiences - or some combination of the two. A First Fridays Downtown interactive map provides information on each venue (valleyarts.org/first-fridays-map).

Arts experiences during April include:
● Arts Incarnate (292 N Liberty St) is hosting Possum Radio April 16, 7-8:30 pm. Visit artsincarnate.com/exhibitions to reserve free concert tickets, or watch live online.
● Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S Main St) features ORIGIN, an exhibition of photography by Jason Starr.
● OASIS Fine Art & Craft (103 S Main St) will hold an in-person opening reception during First Fridays Downtown, 5-8 pm for Spring. The exhibition features works in a variety of mediums by OASIS members.
● The little Gallery Underground (JMU Music Library 880 S Main St) is open Monday-Thursday, 9 am-7 pm; Friday, 9 am-3 pm. Drawings by JMU students are on display this month in Playlist: Wavelength. Contact JMU Parking (jmu.edu/parking) to park on campus. Or, visit online (facebook.com/ThelittleGalleryUnderground).
● Smith House Galleries (311 S Main St) opens an online-only exhibition March 29 (valleyarts.org/current-exhibition). Sponsored by the JMU School of Art, Design and Art History, Lingering offers a personal exploration of the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes - and lens - of artist Pato Hebert, who documented his daily walks in Los Angeles' Elysian Park to repair his lungs while recovering from COVID-19.
● The Virginia Quilt Museum (301 S Main St) examines popular 1960s and 1970s color schemes and psychedelic music in Groovy Quilts and the Art Quilt Movement (youtu.be/F7-znlJjvg4). The museum is also open for in-person visits Tues-Sat, 10 am - 4 pm.
● Wilson Downtown Gallery (83 S Main St) offers a chance to view watercolor and oil works by Rebecca Pence during business hours (Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm) and online viewing at wilsondowntowngallery.com

Other 2021 First Fridays Downtown participating venues include: Dancing With Karen, Explore More Discovery Museum, Harrisonburg Baptist Church, Heritage Bakery & Cafe, Hess Financial, Horizon Gifts, Look West Gallery @ The Mark-It, The Oliver Art House (in Broadway), Park Gables Gallery at VMRC, Restless Moons Brewing, Rockingham Circuit Court Clerk's Office, and Ten Thousand Villages.

Coordinated by ACV, First Fridays Downtown is a full-year community event, including 20 participating venues and bringing arts experiences - virtually and in-person - to hundreds of people of all ages each first Friday. Support is provided by ACV’s 2021 Cultivating the Arts Platinum Sponsors Kathy Moran Wealth Group, Matchbox Realty, and Riner Rentals.

Arts Council of the Valley is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to cultivating the arts and connecting communities in the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Since it was established in 2000, ACV has grown into a multi-faceted community organization that fosters innovative partnerships among area businesses, civic organizations, schools, and artists. Today, ACV manages the Smith House Galleries, funds local art projects through its Advancing the Arts grant program, and coordinates monthly First Fridays Downtown community gatherings. For more information on Arts Council of the Valley, visit valleyarts.org