It’s officially Winter here in Seattle and the skies gravitate toward the dreary and gray. This makes it a perfect time to start the year off right and warm up your walls with some amazing artwork, because this evening is the first of 2017’s monthly First Thursday in Pioneer Square.
The Alliance For Pioneer Square, a non-profit organization devoted to the betterment of Pioneer Square, states “Since the early 1960s, Pioneer Square’s Victorian storefronts and dusty upper floors provided a haven for gallery owners and artists alike. Today, this artistic community is the center of Seattle’s art scene.
Did you know First Thursday in Pioneer Square was the first Art Walk in the USA? In 1981, a group of Pioneer Square art dealers printed handout maps and on the first Thursday of the month painted footprints on the sidewalk outside their galleries. First Thursday soon evolved into a beloved fixture on the local arts calendar.Today, First Thursday takes place each month in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square neighborhood, from 6 pm to 8 pm, when leading art galleries throw open their doors to introduce their new exhibitions and artists.The Art Walk in Pioneer Square is enhanced by the dozens of public art installations that can be found when walking between galleries. From the historic Native American Totem Poles in Occidental and Pioneer Square parks to the bright red “Sentinels” on guard outside the new Fire Station 10.
During First Thursday Art Walks in Pioneer Square, parking is free from 5 pm to 10 pm at the three parking garages listed below. To redeem, pick up a voucher at participating Pioneer Square stores, restaurants, or galleries.”
- Frye Garage (117 3rd Ave S)
- Butler Garage (114 James Street)
- Centurylink Field North Lot (201 King Street) **NEW **
Some good bets to take in some Modern and Contemporary Art:
(Closed for January, but open again in February and for February’s Walk!)
Frederick Holmes and Company
309 Occidental Ave South
Seattle, Washington 98104
(in Occidental Square)
Gallery IMA
123 South Jackson St.
Seattle WA. 98104-2942
James Harris Gallery
604 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA, 98104