April 2026
We have compiled a list of First Friday participants to allow you to experience the art of downtown! Please remember to follow each individual gallery's in-person policies & be sure to use #LNKFF when you post pictures to share your night!
101 N 14TH ST. |
More details to come
118 N 14TH ST. | 12 PM - 7:30 PM
Get 20% OFF all things Oz ~ all the Oz & Wicked Books, Oz Tarot, Oz Puzzles, Oz Cookbooks, Oz lockets, etc...
Play Oz Trivia & Enter our Free Drawing
AND…
Get your Adventure Card and Follow the Yellow Brick Road, collecting stamps at your favorite Parrish Project establishments, which will each offer a fun “Wizard of O St” promotion!
Come see us ~ and then head upstairs to Parrish Studios and continue your Adventure.
Over the months of Project O, the four sections of Parrish Studios will be transforming into areas of Oz: Poppy Fields, Witch’s Castle, Munchkinland and Emerald City!
Burkholder Art Studio & Galleries
719 P ST. | 5 PM - 8 PM
We have Michelle Hrbek in the Main Gallery, with Pam King in the Main Halls. The Skylight Gallery will host Jeanne Baer, with John Nollendorfs in the Outback Gallery. Former Artist in Residence, Calvin Bishop Doerr will be on display in the Special Exhibition Space!
Shows run April 3rd – 25th
Main Gallery
‘The Hallways – Past and Present’ by Pamela King
One of a kind jewelry handcrafted by Pam King.
‘Presence, Plumage, & Pigment Show’ by Michelle Hrbek
This series explores Midwestern birds as both structural marvels and chromatic symbols, focusing specifically on the interplay between real and imagined texture.
In half of the series, the bird’s form is isolated in monochromatic line work, paired with swatches of impasto or stripes of paint. By stripping the subject of its natural hues, I invite the viewer to engage with the imagined texture of the plumage—a tactile map of feathers rendered in ink.
The second half of the series offers a reversal of this logic. Here, the birds are rendered in lush, realistic detail, creating the illusion of soft down and feathers through high-fidelity paint. However, these life-like subjects are suspended against flat, two- dimensional planes of color.
These works honor our local birds—vital to our earth and constant reminders of the beauty living just outside our windows.
Outback Gallery
‘Sunrise, Sunset’ by John Nollendorfs
Skylight Gallery
‘Cuban Chiaroscuro: The Light and Dark of It’ by Jeanne BaerSunlit and star crossed, Cuba grabs visitors with its
- beauty and squalor,
- ambition and apathy,
- warmth and hostility,
- honesty and chicanery.
All compete for dominance in this country of contradictions.Jeanne Baer’s recent experience as an artist and a documentary photographer in Cuba brings heart, soul, and humanity to this exhibition.“Cuban Chiaroscuro” will connect you to all that is light, dark, and artful from a nation on the brink of success…. or collapse.
Special Exhibit Space
‘End of Residency Show – Cantor’s Nursery’ by Calvin Bishop Doerr
During my residency at the Burkholder Project, I found myself in the basement at strange hours- listening to the pale hum of water moving through the building and the indirect footsteps from above. This space solely dedicated to deepening my understanding about my visual art practices lead to, somewhat surprisingly, a greater output of written works as well. I wrote Cantor’s Nursery, slowly and unintentionally, over the period of about six years after finding myself in a glowing orchard in both my written and visual works. This synthesis of narrative poetry and illustration is now at the forefront of my practice, which allows for previously restless ideas to find a point of conclusion.
140 N 12TH ST. | 5 PM
More details to come.
119 S. 9TH ST. | 6 PM - 8:30 PM
Clements Noyes will open its April Focus show with work by two members and ten guest artists. The exhibit will feature a wide variety of media and styles. Live streaming of the opening and brief artist talks will be broadcast on the Clements Noyes Gallery Facebook page at 7 p.m. The show will also be on display at the gallery during regular hours Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., through April 25.
This month’s show features artists creating more light in the world. We know the world needs more kindness. Take heart. Even a flicker of light will keep out the darkness, and every intention or act of kindness will strengthen your light and the light of other good and hopeful people. Remember this: Even during the darkest of nights, goodness prevails, and dawn awaits.
Lynette Fast, curator of the show, will exhibit paintings and jewelry. Fast loves experimenting with both two- and three-dimensional media. A retired art educator, she continues learning in addition to creating and teaching workshops.
Joining Fast in the show is one gallery member and nine guest artists:
Aimee Buresh, oil painting
Carrie Cheloha, botanical experiences + living art creations
Trisha Early, ink transfers, oil glazes, crayons on birch panel
Cole Fast, hemp jewelry with collected stones
Lillian Larsen, pine needle baskets
Dori Minchow, found object crosses
Bob Muckel, wildlife photography
Julie Ralston, acrylic painting
Lindsey Weber, relief print
Susan Woodford, large-scale metal sculpture
Meet these artists on April First Friday and check out their fresh artistic vision.
200 S ANTELOPE VALLEY PARKWAY | 5 PM - 8:30 PM
More details to come.
2055 O ST. | 6 PM - 8 PM
More details to come.
140 N. 8TH ST. | 6 PM - 9 PM
First Friday: Barista Edition / Live Music with Luna River
1100 E O ST. | 5 PM - 9 PM
More details to come.
STADIUM DR. & T ST. | 5 PM - 7 PM
More details to come.
The Eloise Kruger Gallery of Miniatures
RM 831 of Oldfather Hall on UNL City Campus | 2 PM - 6 PM
We are open First Fridays through May 1st from 2 - 6 pm. Admission is always free (not just on First Fridays). This semester we are featuring an incredible miniature Nebraska Sod House created by local artist Marjorie Bailey.
211 N 14TH ST | 6 PM - 9 PM
More details to come.
130 S 13TH ST | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
More details to come.
124 S. 9TH ST. | 5 PM - 8:30 PM
On display April 1-26, 2026
Join us this month for 'Los Tres Amigos' with photography by Merle Henkenius, mixed media by Mark Coyle, and metal sculpture by Scott Grossenbacher.
1300 P Street | 5 PM - 8:30 PM
More details to come.
1155 Q ST. | 5 PM - 7 PM
Join us for the opening of “With a Little Help from Our Friends: New Perspectives on the Collection,” a special exhibition that celebrates our dynamic community of Great Plains Fellows. For this exhibition, 20 Fellows were invited to select an artwork from the Great Plains Art Museum’s permanent collection and respond to it in any way they chose. Organized in conjunction with the Center’s 50th anniversary, this co-curated exhibition provides fresh and diverse perspectives on the collection and highlights the important interdisciplinary focus of the Center.The Great Plains Art Museum is open late on First Friday, March 6, 5-7 p.m. with four exhibitions and light refreshments. Remarks at 5:30 p.m.
On View:
“Collection Connections: Art in Conversation”
January 20-July 25, 2026
In 2026, the Center for Great Plains Studies and its Great Plains Art Museum celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Center and the 45th anniversary of the museum’s opening. To commemorate these milestones, this exhibition highlights artworks from the collection that span the museum’s history, from the founding donation to recent acquisitions. Rather than presenting these selections in a chronological arrangement, artworks are paired or grouped to focus on formal and thematic connections and emphasize the diverse perspectives that tell the multifaceted stories of the Great Plains.
“‘All the Beauty You Can See’: Dwight Kirsch in Nature”
January 20-July 25, 2026
A native Nebraskan and prolific artist, Dwight Kirsch (1899-1981) was an important figure in the Lincoln arts community in the early-to-mid twentieth century, serving as chair of the University of Nebraska Art Department and playing an integral role in the Nebraska Art Association. The Great Plains Art Museum’s extensive collection of Kirsch’s work spans his time teaching in Nebraska through his last years at the Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home. This exhibition presents a small sampling of those holdings, each selected to demonstrate Kirsch’s deep and lifelong fascination with conveying the nuances and beauty of the natural world through art.
"Indigenous Ceramics from the Collection"
January 20–July 25, 2026
This permanent collection spotlight exhibition in the museum’s Mezzanine Gallery features diverse ceramic works by Indigenous artists of the Great Plains and nearby Southwest region.
Handspoken Fair Trade (originally Ten Thousand Villages)
140 N. 8th ST. | 6 PM - 8 PM
Handspoken (Formerly Ten Thousand Villages) hosts a craft night in collaboration with Downtown Lincoln Artwalk First Friday. These events are free to anyone and everyone. The crafts vary each month.
1208 O ST. | 5 PM - 8 PM
More details to come.
Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel
333 S. 13th St. | 6 PM - 9 PM
More details to come.
701 P St SUITE 102 | 5 PM - 8 PM
Board Game Night at Sheldon Museum of Art!
Sheldon Museum of Art and Mana Games Cafe invite visitors to drop in and enjoy a board game or two during First Friday. Whether attending alone or with friends, guests will find open game tables set up throughout the museum, offering opportunities to join in and play.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
More details to come.
131 CENTENNIAL MALL N | 5 PM - 7 PM
More details to come.
More details to come.
325 S 11th St. | 6 PM - 9 PM
First Friday with Nicole Renaud!
1410 O St. | 7 PM - 10 PM
Check out their website and view all of their different studios for more details.
More details to come.
Saint Paul United Methodist Church
More details to come.
Board Game Night!
Sheldon Museum of Art and Mana Games Cafe invite visitors to drop in and enjoy a board game or two during First Friday. Whether attending alone or with friends, guests will find open game tables set up throughout the museum, offering opportunities to join in and play.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
More details to come.
Featuring art by the very talented, Javier Rivera, who also has a space at Parrish Studios.
Music will start at 8pm hosted by DJ wya!
Don't miss our feature cocktail that's paired with the vibe of the art and tunes.
Party starts at 8p and vibes go all night.
Come help us welcome local writer Jeff Hill and local artist Scott Beachler as the first in our monthly First Friday event series guests. They will both be in the store from 6-8pm.
Say hi, get an autograph, pick up some of their work, and be sure to take advantage of our extended hours and our April Fools Sale.
See you for First Friday in April!
More details to come.
210 Architecture Hall (HDR Pavilion Lobby) | 5 PM - 7 PM
More details to come.
801 O ST. SUITE 110 | 4PM-MIDNIGHT
Featuring work by artist Mohamed Komi.
Mohamed Komi is a multimedia Sudanese artist and photographer based in Lincoln, Nebraska. He's best known for his portrait-style paintings and photography. Komi comes from the Nuba people of Sudan, and his work explores themes of blackness, identity, and social issues.
Vinyl will also be featuring a drink special that Mohamed helped create called the "Moodi Mule" with muddled jalapeno, jalapeno tequila, ginger beer, and lime juice.
More details to come.
Have an art show in downtown Lincoln you'd like added to our monthly list?
Email Maia at maia@downtownlincoln.org.