On the First Friday of May 2026, ten local galleries and studios in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will participate in the monthly First Friday Art Crawl, with extended evening hours from 5-8 PM. Participating venues include River Gallery, HART Gallery, In-Town Gallery, ICA @ UTC, BFA Open Studios @ UTC, Wavelength Space, Society of Work Northshore at The Velvet Lounge, ClearStory Arts, Stove Works, and AVA – Association for Visual Arts. Several galleries are hosting opening receptions and artist meet-and-greets, featuring artists such as David Boyd, Jim Felder, Steve Loucks, Rick Sanders, Angie To, and Kathleen Thum.
This event matters because it highlights the vitality of Chattanooga's local visual arts scene, providing a regular, accessible platform for community engagement with contemporary art and emerging artists. By coordinating multiple venues on a single evening, the First Friday Art Crawl strengthens the local art ecosystem, supports small galleries and artist-run spaces, and fosters cultural tourism in the region.