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Upcoming Events

First Friday Santa Cruz is a monthly Art Tour across the county featuring exhibits & art events in our local galleries and art spaces.

Heart and mind exhibition

Heart & Mind – a special exhibition hosted by First Friday Santa Cruz

Heart & Mind – a special exhibition hosted by First Friday Santa Cruz

April 3, 2026 - April 26, 2026 @ 12:00 am- @ 12:00 am at 1407 Pacific Ave – Former Palace Arts Downtown in 1407 Pacific Ave Santa Cruz, CA 95060 United States | Downtown, Featured

First Friday Santa Cruz presents a special spring exhibition! Heart & Mind is a month-long exhibition featuring creative visual expression that represents the conversation between the heart and mind, the

Between the Dark and Light – Over 4 decades of Rock’n Roll Photos by, JAY BLAKESBERG

Between the Dark and Light – Over 4 decades of Rock’n Roll Photos by, JAY BLAKESBERG

May 1, 2026 @ 3:00 pm- @ 7:30 pm at Nicely Gallery: Decor + Design in 1349 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz, CA 95060 United States | Downtown, Featured

Framing the Band https://www.nicelysantacruz.com/new-page Nicely Presents: Jay Blakesberg – Photographer, Filmmaker, and Public Speaker. https://www.blakesberg.com/ @Nicely.SantaCruz March 15-June 30 We will be celebrating EVERY Friday throughout the exhibit endin...

Heart and mind exhibition

Heart & Mind – a special exhibition hosted by First Friday Santa Cruz

Date Apr 3 - 26, 2026Time 12:00 am - 12:00 amVenue 1407 Pacific Ave – Former Palace Arts DowntownCategory Downtown FeaturedWebsite View Events Website

Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls MMIWG

Date May 1, 2026Time 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Santa Cruz Museum of Art & HistoryCategory Downtown

Between the Dark and Light – Over 4 decades of Rock’n Roll Photos by, JAY BLAKESBERG

Date May 1, 2026Time 3:00 pm - 7:30 pmVenue Nicely Gallery: Decor + DesignCategory Downtown Featured

Vino Arte at the Silver Mountain / Bottle Jack Tasting room

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 7:00 pmVenue Bottle Jack Winery & Silver Mountain Vineyards Tasting RoomCategory Westside

Live Oak Jack Rabbit Student Artists Showcase

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 5:00 pmVenue Palace Art & Office SupplyCategory Eastside

Life Of The Ocean: Part One

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue The Missing SpokeCategory Downtown

Color Stories: Community of Digtial Artists (CODA) Closing Reception

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 7:00 pmVenue R. Blitzer GalleryCategory Westside

Studio 122 Pop-Up + Seconds Sale! ✨

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Studio 122 at the TanneryCategory Tannery Arts Center

May First Friday – IAS Spring Exhibitions

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 7:00 pmVenue Institute of Arts and Sciences, UCSCCategory Westside

First Fridays at the 418 Project

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue The 418 ProjectCategory Downtown

Annie Glass Signing Event

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Home by ZinniasCategory SC Mountains

Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room and Tapas Bar features artist Stacy Frank “Harvest– Farm to Walls Cyanotypes”

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room and Tapas BarCategory Downtown

Heart and mind exhibition

Heart & Mind – a special exhibition hosted by First Friday Santa Cruz

Date Apr 3 - 26, 2026Time 12:00 am - 12:00 amVenue 1407 Pacific Ave – Former Palace Arts DowntownCategory Downtown FeaturedWebsite View Events Website

Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls MMIWG

Date May 1, 2026Time 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Santa Cruz Museum of Art & HistoryCategory Downtown

Between the Dark and Light – Over 4 decades of Rock’n Roll Photos by, JAY BLAKESBERG

Date May 1, 2026Time 3:00 pm - 7:30 pmVenue Nicely Gallery: Decor + DesignCategory Downtown Featured

Life Of The Ocean: Part One

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue The Missing SpokeCategory Downtown

First Fridays at the 418 Project

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue The 418 ProjectCategory Downtown

Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room and Tapas Bar features artist Stacy Frank “Harvest– Farm to Walls Cyanotypes”

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room and Tapas BarCategory Downtown

A Biographer’s Sketchbook: Artistic Exchanges

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Tumbleweed FoundCategory Downtown

Todd Barricklow :Reductive Thinking

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Felix Kulpa Gallery & Sculpture GardenCategory Downtown

Plein Air Santa Cruz Landscapes by Brian Rounds

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Stripe the StoreCategory Downtown

Folktography: A showcase of folk music and photography

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 7:30 pmVenue Santa Cruz HostelCategory Downtown

Minnow Arts Presents: Current Phenomena by Cheechel + The Black Box

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:30 pmVenue Minnow ArtsCategory Downtown

Arts, Clothings, Music and Bubbles. @ OXY Hair Salon and Gallery/ OXY NUV

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:30 pm - 8:30 pmVenue OXY Hair & Gallery / OXY NUV ClothingsCategory Downtown

SAVAGE RESERVATION – New Works from the wilderness by Dan Wysuph @ Hotel Paradox on May 1st from 5:30-7:30pm

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:30 pm - 7:30 pmVenue Solaire Restaurant + Bar at Hotel ParadoxCategory Downtown

Good Vibratons Erotic Art Gallery Grand Opening

Date May 1, 2026Time 6:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue Good VibrationsCategory Downtown

Michelle Waters at Artisans & agency

Date May 1, 2026Time 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Artisans & agencyCategory Downtown

First Friday of May

Date May 1, 2026Time 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue M.K. Contemporary ArtCategory Downtown

May Day in Bloom: First Friday at the Homeless Garden Project Store

Date May 1, 2026Time 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue The Homeless Garden Project Downtown StoreCategory Downtown

Little Giant Collective 10 Year Anniversary Exhibition

Date May 1, 2026Time 6:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue Little Giant CollectiveCategory Downtown

Studio 122 Pop-Up + Seconds Sale! ✨

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Studio 122 at the TanneryCategory Tannery Arts Center

Shane Dowling – Studio 128 – Tannery Arts Center

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Studio 128 – Tannery Arts CenterCategory Tannery Arts Center

Art & Change

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Radius GalleryCategory Tannery Arts Center

Embrodery quilting Demo

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Cosmo ChicCategory Tannery Arts Center

Lynne Todaro, Beth Shields, Melissa West, Linda Fillhardt, and Joan Hellenthal show at Gallery 125 at the Tannery.

Date May 1, 2026Time 6:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue Gallery 125 at The TanneryCategory Tannery Arts Center

A V Pike, Cindy Haug, Catharina Marlowe

Date May 1, 2026Time 6:00 pm - 9:00 pmVenue Printmakers at the TanneryCategory Tannery Arts Center

Vino Arte at the Silver Mountain / Bottle Jack Tasting room

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 7:00 pmVenue Bottle Jack Winery & Silver Mountain Vineyards Tasting RoomCategory Westside

Color Stories: Community of Digtial Artists (CODA) Closing Reception

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 7:00 pmVenue R. Blitzer GalleryCategory Westside

May First Friday – IAS Spring Exhibitions

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 7:00 pmVenue Institute of Arts and Sciences, UCSCCategory Westside

Mothership Connection

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Santa Cruz ClayCategory Westside

First Friday Reception: 68th Annual High School Exhibition

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 7:30 pmVenue Santa Cruz Art LeagueCategory Midtown

The Art of Nature

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Santa Cruz Museum of Natural HistoryCategory Midtown

May First Friday @ Treehouse!

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Treehouse DispensaryCategory Midtown

Live Oak Jack Rabbit Student Artists Showcase

Date May 1, 2026Time 4:00 pm - 5:00 pmVenue Palace Art & Office SupplyCategory Eastside

First Friday with Monarch ILS @ Live Oak Refillery

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Live Oak RefilleryCategory Eastside

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Annie Glass Signing Event

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 8:00 pmVenue Home by ZinniasCategory SC Mountains

Fired Up: Ceramic Seconds Sale

Date May 1, 2026Time 5:00 pm - 7:00 pmVenue Santa Cruz Mountains Art CenterCategory SC Mountains

View All Events

First Friday Santa Cruz Artist Registry

The First Friday Artist Registry connects local artists with venues and art enthusiasts.It also serves as the largest directory of local artists in the county!

If you are an artist and would like to join the registry you can learn more here.

Alanni Lanni

Painting

Alison Gamel

Photography

Alissa Bennett

Jewelry

Allegra Bick-Maurischat

Drawing

Amanda Bird

Painting

Amberly Wade

Jewelry

Amey Mathews

Other

Anastasiya Bachmanova

Painting

Find More Artists Here

First Friday Partners

SC Clay Studio

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