Wondering about First Friday events in Greenville? The Metropolitan Art’s Council in Greenville presents First Fridays. As the name indicates, the events are on the first Friday of every month and include open art studios with different featured artists.
The Greenville Center for Creative Arts almost always participates in First Friday events (now called NightShifts) with artist exhibitions, food trucks, and kid-friendly activities. We sent KAG Contributor Kristina Hernandez and her family to visit for a First Friday event. Here’s her family’s experience.
Attending First Friday With a Family
I admit, I was a little nervous going to an art exhibit with my two little kids. What if they found a crayon in their pockets and attempted to add their own touch to the paintings? Or would people look at me like I was crazy for bringing kids to an art show? Would they break something? Turns out that all my worries were completely unfounded at the Greenville Center for Creative Arts First Friday event in the Village of West Village.
I moved to Greenville from Washington, DC and attended many art shows there. This was far and away an excellent event (and may I say, with a lot friendlier people). There were lots of smiles and opportunities to keep the little ones busy.
Kid-Friendly? Yup.
The people there were so kind and helpful from the moment we arrived. The receptionist pointed me to the kids’ section – yup, a kids area – and I was directed to visit the artists upstairs because they love talking with little ones. Sure enough, one of the artists had little cookies he was giving away to visitors.
The first floor is where the majority of the exhibit takes place. This one was Carnivale-themed and featured all kinds of beautiful paintings. The kids area is in the back and consisted of three huge tables with staff helping kids with crafts. This particular arts-and-crafts activity taught kids how to use a needle and thread to kind of connect the dots. It was a little over her my five-year-old’s ability level, but she was entertained with the miniature scissors she used to cut out a bunny in a constellation drawn on paper.
Organizers assured me that they usually have something a little more friendly to smaller hands. But it actually worked out really well, and there were lots of other families enjoying the show and craft area. They had Mardi Gras bead necklaces that they gave to my girls, which have since become their favorite toy. Go figure.
Checking Out the Artists
The working areas of the artists in residence is upstairs from the main floor. It was really neat to talk to each artist and see his or her specialty. There were painters and sketchers and knitters and jewelry makers. One artist had a lot of beautiful paintings of Greenville landmarks.
All the artists were so friendly and kind, and I loved the guy that gave my kids a cookie. It kept my littlest one occupied pretty much the whole night.
Food and Drinks
While the art center doesn’t have food onsite, there was a food truck parked outside for the event. There were adult beverages available inside the art show, which was a nice touch to a great event.
We got there right when it started, at 6 pm, and there was already a decent crowd. By the time we left about an hour later, the place was hopping. Apparently, this is a really popular event!
See Art and Take Classes
This event, now called NightShifts, obviously only happens on the first Friday of every month. It runs from 5-8 pm. The dates for 2026 NightShifts events are:
January 9, February 6, March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5, July 10, September 4, October 2, November 13, and December 4.
However, you can also check out the galleries throughout the week. The galleries are open Tuesday – Friday from 9 am – 5 pm, and Saturday from 11 am – 3 pm. They’re completely free to the public! Check out Greenville Center for Creative Arts for a list of upcoming exhibits.
The center also has classes for both kids and adults. You can learn everything from sculptural papermaking to solar screen printing and so much more! They also offer summer camps for kids ages 5 – 12.
Greenville Center for Creative Arts
101 Abney Street
Greenville, SC 29611
864-735-3948
http://www.artcentergreenville.org/
Looking for more art adventures? There are lots of Places in Greenville Where Kids (And Adults) Can Make Art.
is there an admission for First Friday?
Nope!