About « Oakland Art Murmur

Oakland Art Murmur is a group of galleries in Oakland, California that have openings every first friday of the month. The list is below.

Oakland Art Murmur is a coalition of art and cultural venues dedicated to increasing popular awareness of and participation in the arts in Oakland, with an emphasis on visual art. We promote visual art in Oakland through collective marketing and outreach efforts and our monthly First Friday events, which are open to the public and attended by hundreds of local and visiting art enthusiasts.

Oakland Art Murmur began as an acknowledgment by eight arts spaces located in the Northgate and Temescal neighborhoods that a cooperative effort to promote the arts in the region would garner more attention for their individual visual art programs. This led to the monthly First Friday art walks, at which all participating spaces hold concurrent receptions. The first Oakland Art Murmur occurred in January 2006. The oaklandartmurmur.com website soon expanded to list exhibitions and cultural activities outside of those of Art Murmur members.

Art Murmur membership continues to grow, and First Fridays are capitalized on by neighboring businesses and arts spaces unaffiliated with the Oakland Art Murmur. Attracting gangs of bicyclists, BART riders and car-poolers from across the Bay Bridge or beyond the Caldecott tunnel, the Oakland Art Murmur continues to see growing attendance and community support. The First Friday art walk has grown to include street performances, one night only art installations, activists raising money and awareness for local social service organizations and political initiatives.

The history of the Oakland Art Murmur also highlights the quickly changing landscape of Oakland arts spaces. Of the original eight members: 21 Grand, 33 Grand, Auto 3321, Boontling Gallery, Buzz Gallery, Ego Park, Front Gallery, and Rock Paper Scissors Collective, half have since closed.