NORWICH – In the spirit of making downtown Norwich more vibrant and colorful, the Norwich Merchants Association, in collaboration with the Artist’s Palette, will host the first “Fourth Friday” from 5 to 8 p.m. this Friday.
Akin to similar events held in nearby Binghamton and in Albany, Fourth Friday is a day of all things art and music in downtown Norwich. The event – to be staged on the fourth Friday of every month – will feature works of art displayed in storefront windows of participating businesses along Broad Street. Most works will be up for sale by the artist who created it. An art walk kick things off at 5 p.m.
In addition to the art walk, the Artist’s Palette at 29 S. Broad St. will host a special gallery opening from 6 to 8 p.m. in which artist and store owner Jill Kraft will unveil her own photographic work in an exhibit titled “City Streets, Part 1.” Each photograph on display depicts the busy streets of New York City as perceived by Kraft and captured through her camera lens. Moreover, live music from local musician Mike Davis will echo from the studio as guests come and go.
The Artist’s Palette is still relatively new to the Norwich business district as it relocated from its former spot just north of the city last summer. Kraft said now that she has more of a presence downtown, she hopes to partner with the Norwich Merchants Association more often to make the county’s seat a vigorous contender in the art scene.
“With my shop opening here, this is something we hope to do every 30 days,” Kraft said. “I want this to be something that I can continue working with the merchants on ... We’re trying to get art moving in the community. Local merchants want to show that downtown is the place to be.”
Kraft also explained that because this is the inaugural Fourth Friday, participating businesses and artists are limited, but hopes are to only grow from here on out. “By summertime, we want this to be a much bigger event that gets people excited about art in the community,” she added.
“It’s going to start small and we’ll build from there,” said Anna McLaughlin, president of the Norwich Merchants Association and owner of McLaughlin’s Department Store. McLaughlin is one of several downtown business owners who has committed to showing artwork in her store’s windows as part of the occasion. The goal, she said, is to increase foot traffic in her store and throughout downtown.
“Right now, we’re planning to do shows in the spring, too, but our focus is primarily on what this event will be in the summer,” she said. “Hopefully, it will get people out and moving about during the summer months. Now, we just want to get people used to the idea of seeing more art in the area, whether it’s sculptures, painting, or jewelry or photography.”
Plans are already in the works for February’s Fourth Friday. Kraft is currently pairing merchants with artists, finding the storefront window that would be most suitable for each. “Some works are bigger than others and need bigger windows for display,” she noted. “It’s a small event now, but it has to start somewhere. By the peak of summer, we want to have it going strong.”