Support Local Artists in Oklahoma City

There’s nothing we love more than finding ways to support our Oklahoma City community in any way possible. The city has a thriving small business, trade, and art scene that you can help grow. If you’re looking for a way to support local art and culture while also adding some unique creations by talented individuals to your home decor or art collection, check out some of the following galleries, markets, and events in the area.

JRB Art at the Elms

Located in the beautiful Paseo District, JRB Art at the Elms is known for being incredibly welcoming with a young, fresh atmosphere. The art changes every month, creating a showcase for an extensive, diverse group of new artists and making the gallery a place you can repeatedly visit throughout the year, enjoying new collections and exhibits every single time.

Though JRB Art at the Elms features artists from all over the world, it prioritizes local Oklahoma artists and almost always showcases some of their work in every exhibit. Bring the whole family with you (kids are welcome) and enjoy the stunning range of art on display, from paintings and sculptures to mixed media.

Location: 2810 N. Walker, Oklahoma City.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 12 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Factory Obscura

The artist collective that creates the exhibits at Factory Obscura makes jaw-dropping, colorful, impactful, and immersive art exhibits meant to evoke a sense of awe and wonder in the building’s 6,000-square-foot space. Their latest exhibit, the Mix-Tape, was an incredibly popular installation that allowed visitors to go on a self-guided tour through an enchanting mix of sounds, music, and visuals. If you want to support local artists while experiencing something unique, drop by the Factory Obscura to see what’s on display.

Location: 25 NW Ninth St., Oklahoma City.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Individual Artists of Oklahoma

If you want to visit a gallery wholly and exclusively dedicated to local art, check out Individual Artists of Oklahoma. This non-profit foundation and gallery have no admission charge. It focuses simply on sharing the talent, efforts, and creations of Oklahoma’s artists with as many visitors as possible. Just a short walk from the Botanical Gardens and the downtown area, this gallery is a fun cultural activity to partake in with friends or family.

Make sure you check to see if there are any other events taking place during off hours, as the Individual Artists of Oklahoma gallery is also a popular event space.

Location: 706 W. Sheridan Ave., Oklahoma City.

Hours: Noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

First Friday

Some art connoisseurs want to gallery hop and take in as many artists and exhibits as they can in one go. For those of you who want to enjoy a gorgeous evening of art and culture, the Paseo Arts Association brings you a spectacular event: First Friday.

In the historic local art community of Paseo Arts District, on the first Friday of every month, over 80 participating artists and 25 businesses stay open late to participate in the First Friday Gallery walk. Many establishments hold opening receptions at this time to display their new exhibits and emerging artists. The best part of this event is that all the galleries are within walking distance of each other, making this fantastic art event an entertaining and leisurely evening stroll.

Location: 3024 Paseo, Oklahoma City.

Hours: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., rain or shine.

50 Penn Place Art Gallery

Not only does 50 Penn Place Art Gallery feature local Oklahoma artists, but it’s also actually owned and operated by them. Don’t be fooled by the upscale look of this fine art gallery; the people who run it are talented local Oklahomans looking to promote the creativity of the area, not some faceless multi-million-dollar corporation.

Inside the gallery, you’ll find a wide range of mediums, from photography and oil paintings to acrylic artwork, pencil art, and much more. Since 12 professional artists run the store, they love to include the people behind the works in the gallery as often as possible, so quite often, you’ll have a chance to meet the artists who’ve created the exhibits. The works on display rotate every two months, so if you haven’t dropped by in a while, chances are you’ll find an entirely new exhibit made by locals each time you visit.

Location: 1900 NW Expressway, Suite 113-R, Oklahoma City.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Exhibit C Gallery

Owned by the Chickasaw Nation, this Bricktown-based gallery is focused on representing Native American artists indigenous to the area. Exhibit C Gallery has shot up in popularity as of late thanks to its incredible art and determination to highlight the art of First Americans. When you walk through the 4,000-square-foot gallery, you’ll find collections of paintings, handmade clothing, pottery, and jewelry, all made by Chickasaw and other First American artists native to the Oklahoma area. If you find something you absolutely love, most of the items are available for sale.

If you want to spend some time traveling through and exploring Chickasaw Country, the gallery also serves as a tourist information center to help guide you through the area and give you some helpful context and history for the places you’ll explore.

Location: 1 E. Sheridan, Suite 100, Oklahoma City.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

DNA Galleries

This arts and crafts store and gallery feature a constantly rotating stock of local artists’ creations. More oriented toward consumers than observers, DNA Galleries is a wonderful place to visit if you want to pick up a unique handcrafted item, a piece of local art, or a vintage graphic T-shirt. The gallery also frequently hosts special events, sometimes including DJs and other artists in the mix. Those of you who visit the galleries to buy a gift will appreciate the store’s collection of custom-made, funny, original greeting cards as well.

Location: 1709 NW 16th St., Oklahoma City.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

With this list, you can find a fun new activity to do with friends or family and experience culture in the Oklahoma City area, all while supporting local artists and your community at large. If you have a favorite art gallery, special event, or show that we missed, contact us at Eskridge Chevrolet, and we’d be happy to feature your favorite place to support local artists in an upcoming article.

 

A building in the Paseo by Matthew Rutledge is licensed with CC BY 2.0

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