Mural artists and friends spark pop-up gallery that returns art space for Fifth Friday festival
Artists prepare work Friday for a pop-up art show later in the evening. (Photo: Central Square Business Association)
The Out of the Blue art gallery space rides again for a few hours Friday for an underground-style pop-up art show, part of the free Fifth Friday Celebration taking place throughout Central Square.
Fifth Friday events include everything from a petting zoo and ugly sweater contest to a beer garden, board games and holiday shopping from local vendors from 5 to 8 p.m., part of the Central Square Business Improvement District of shops and organization that’s banded together to keep the square clean and safe.
As caretaker of the square’s Cultural District designation, Michael Monestime is highlighting the art show, in which the mural artists whose building-size works are appearing around the square get more intimate – creating live works on the walls of the 6,025-square-foot space at 541 Massachusetts Ave., the former Out of the Blue art gallery (which Revolutionary Clinics may yet turn into a marijuana dispensary). Other artists will join in, said Monestime, executive director of the Central Square Business Association.
“We keep seeing a net loss [of Central Square culture]. Here’s an opportunity to add on,” Monestime said. “This is not placemaking, this is an effort of place-keeping.”
Along with the pop-up art show, Fifth Friday events include:
A petting zoo on the lawn at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave.
A lighting ceremony and unveiling of holiday lights
Hot cocoa with at Carl Barron Plaza, provided by 1369 Coffeehouse
A performance and reception at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave.
Live music at the La Fábrica Central restaurant, 450 Massachusetts Ave.
A board game night at 730 Tavern, Kitchen & Patio, 730 Massachusetts Ave., provided by Pandemonium Books & Games
Holiday card making at Eastern Bank, 647 Massachusetts Ave., and an ornament-making workshop at NuVu Studio, 450 Massachusetts Ave.
A photo booth with Santa Claus at the fire station in Lafayette Square, 378 Massachusetts Ave.
