This Friday, June 3rd, is Art Walk in Montpelier! Montpelier Alive's Art Walk, supported by Northfield Savings Bank, showcases a wide array of community artists at venues throughout the city. On the first Friday of every other month, Montpelier celebrates the arts by partnering with artists and venues and creating a unique and entertaining event.
Participating venues are scattered across town, from coffee shops to galleries, stores and restaurants, there is art displayed seemingly everywhere. Sometimes special exhibits involve projections, light and color, or performance art, enlivening the downtown and creating a unique experience.
This week, we take a look at the Front, an artist-run cooperative gallery on Barre Street and venue #7 in tomorrow’s Art Walk. Members contribute the time, energy, and funds it takes to run the organization.The Front’s two large street-facing windows beckons plenty of walk-in traffic. The gallery features members’ work in about six group exhibitions alternating with six solo shows annually. Members also use the gallery for events including artist talks, performances, movie nights, and critiques.
This month’s Art Walk celebrates Show 49 at The Front, one of the 6 group shows displaying gallery member artwork. Marjorie Kramer, Sam Thurston and James Secor are three of the featured artists at Show 49. The opening reception is 4-7pm, this Friday June 3rd.
Being a member-owned cooperative gallery means that artists come and go on occasion, and The Front is now seeking new members to join.
“Running an art gallery is hard,” founding member Glen Hutcheson told me. “Central Vermont has a huge number of great visual artists, but very few dedicated gallery spaces, partly because the local art-collecting population is proportionally smaller. To keep it going, we've had to band together as working artists...”
The Front encourages artists of all backgrounds who are interested in provoking curiosity, exchanging ideas, and promoting community engagement with the visual arts, to inquire. For more information, visit The Front during your Art Walk stroll this Friday, or contact [email protected].
The Front is only one of many Art Walk venues across Montpelier. Strolling the streets in beautiful spring weather on a Friday evening, past the Downtown flowers, the bustling restaurants, and vibrant art displays can only be uplifting. Join Montpelier Alive for another wonderful Art Walk, June 3rd, 4-8pm.