Local artists, businesses mark First Fridays anniversary

By Brooke Kemp | The Herald BulletinJun 6, 2019

ANDERSON — Friday marks the one-year anniversary of celebrating art, culture and community in downtown Anderson through First Fridays.

Sonia Caldwell, program director at A Town Center, said creating and hosting the event has been an important goal of those involved with A Town Center even before the organization had its own building.

In fact, members of Anderson’s art community had been looking for a way to share their work with the general public for a while as well.

“The art game is not the easiest game by any shot, and there is a lot of talent here,” said Eliot Reed, owner of Park Place Arts. “I also think it’s important in cities like Anderson — rust-belt towns like we have — in terms of revitalization, not just economically but culturally.”

Reed said art can provide a new, unique look at the world for people as well as a connection to local culture — something he felt was lacking when he was growing up in Anderson.

Local artists like Reed are working toward furthering that connection, and organizations like A Town Center aim to help the city become a destination for arts and culture, Caldwell said. She added that providing community members the opportunity to engage with their city was another goal for A Town Center.

“Whether you meet new friends or make art connections, (First Fridays can help you) find an outlet,” Caldwell said. “We want to breed a culture that inspires growth, and we want that growth to be both economic and intrapersonal.”

Each time First Fridays is held, Caldwell said she meets someone new who is shocked by everything downtown Anderson has to offer, from its new businesses to the talent of artists.

Throughout its first year, the event has grown to include nine art venues and 11 other businesses. By participating in First Fridays and visiting all the locations involved, Caldwell said people can experience firsthand the constant growth taking place downtown.

There is also a rotation of art and activities at each event.

This month, Reed said a collection of artwork from Hoosier artists will be displayed in Park Place Arts to give visitors “a taste of what has happened in Indiana art-wise over the past 50 to 70 years.”

Most of the artwork on display at his business will be two-dimensional and for sale, which Reed said is new, especially compared to his previous Native American beadwork display.

A Town Center will also be implementing new elements to its display by opening its first curated show called “Perspectives,” Caldwell said.

The show is a collection of different types of art — from paintings and illustrations to photos and multimedia pieces — created by multiple different artists to showcase their individual viewpoints of “the beauty, ingenuity and culture of Anderson.”

Attendees can also enjoy an event-wide photo scavenger hunt.

At each location on the First Fridays map, which can be found online or at participating venues, there will be a sheet with 10 photos. Players will have to locate where each photo was taken, and after the event Caldwell said names will be chosen to win prizes such as free art lessons, T-shirts and gift cards.

Caldwell said she hopes the game will encourage people to visit all of the places involved in First Fridays.

“It’s a walk. I encourage people to move around,” Reed said. “I know it’s easy to get stuck talking to your friends and enjoying what’s going on, but there are a lot of us and we like to see people come through and talk about what they have seen at some other place or where they’re going next. It really is kind of a way to get around the city and view as many different things and as many different places as you can in one night.”

Follow Brooke Kemp on Twitter @brookemkemp or contact her at 765-640-4861 or brooke.kemp@heraldbulletin.com.