One of my favorite things about living in Philadelphia is Old City’s First Friday tradition. If you’re unfamiliar, on the first Friday of every month, local art galleries and museums open their doors to free admission, free wine, and free fun. The cobblestone streets are lined with vendors selling jewelry, drawings, trinkets, and food. Musicians camp out on the corners and leave their instrument cases open, ready for tips. Everything is lit up. Everything is beautiful. It’s a side of the city that I wish I could see all the time, but when everything is free and easily accessible to students, I tend to usually only take advantage of it on this day.

So with that said, I’m going to give you an insider’s guide to all of the best – free – places to check out.

This month, a group of our friends met in the art district and hit up some of our favorite Old City galleries, and I’d recommend them all if you like contemporary – maybe even weird – art.

First, we headed into Ruckus Gallery on 2nd Street, and this month’s exhibit is glasswork. A DJ sat on the balcony above us as we walked through the long displays of intricate glass. The walls were lined with fluorescent PBR bar signs, also a part of the exhibit.

Copyright © @meadowsweetmercantile — Copyright © @meadowsweetmercantile

Then, we stopped into Meadowsweet, a store on 2nd Street, and browsed their collection of taxidermic bats and butterflies, and Victorian-esque photography. The boho-chic vibe of this place instantly enticed me. It’s a small store, but the lights and music and wine-happy customers lit up the whole room. I was reminded of a Free People with the lace dresses and wide-brimmed hats and chunky sweaters, perfect for fall. You can check them out on Instagram @meadowsweetmercantile.

Our next stop was Lindsay Rapp’s gallery on 2nd Street. Her art style is very unique, and when we walked into the gallery we were immediately submerged in clear white light that reflected off of blue-green-purple metallic paint on the walls. It felt like we were underwater, which is where Rapp’s inspiration lies. She loves the ocean, and this passion is reflected in almost all of her pieces. She works with layers of glass and paints on each one to give her paintings depth.

Next, we hit up Arch Enemy Arts on Arch Street, filled with super weird pieces that were fun to look at. These pieces were more modern and physical sculptures, interpretive paintings, and lots of interactive pieces. Free wine and good music are always a nice perk.

Our last stop of the night was the Vox Populi on 11th Street. This warehouse-style gallery was by far the highlight of the night. Six stories high, each floor housed its own exhibit, and all were completely unique to each other. There were displays of all mediums: Mural-sized pieces made of staples hung on the wall, filmmakers took over the dark rooms to show their short movies, and unique denim-clad sculptures lined the floor. Each floor also had a balcony, offering a beautiful view of the lit-up city.

We’ll be back for more First Fridays, so don’t forget to follow our Instagram account @brotherlylovelivemusic for more pictures, as well as photos from our previous posts, shot by Dylan Eddinger.

First Friday Done Right

PHILLY LIVE

Powered by Squarespace