Cortland First Fridays joins an informal nationwide movement to celebrate the arts in local communities on the first Friday of each month. Participating galleries, studios, artists, interested businesses, music and performing arts venues will be open to the public from 5 pm to 8 pm to spotlight the arts.

The First Friday of each month is now a night to which many look forward in upstate New York cities as downtown venues feature and celebrate the arts. Binghamton, Rochester, Ithaca , Auburn, Skaneateles, Old Forge and others have such evenings. Now, the Cultural Council of Cortland County is committed to working with our community to bring First Friday to Cortland!

The First Friday event is designed to be inclusive. It will encourage all galleries, studios, SUNY Cortland entities, and other nonprofit and commercial businesses interested in the arts to participate. The monthly event will encourage collaboration among non-profit, university and commercial venues. This initiative will showcase the wealth of talent of local potters, painters, artisan crafters, poets and musicians in our community.

The First Friday evening of each month from 5-8pm will become a community night for experiencing art. We anticipate that First Fridays will foster a healthy art scene and a healthy city through regular exchange and discussion among venues, artists and patrons.

Along with celebrating the arts, people will be encouraged to stroll the streets and the shops, and grab a bite to eat at one of our many local restaurants. Plan to make First Fridays in Cortland a habit!