The new Volume One Gallery

I’d like to recommend to you an often over-looked entertainment option as you plan your evenings and weekends going forward: The Art Reception. Even if you’re not “into art,” stick with me for a minute. Let me start with this: free food. Yes, art receptions often come with the offering of snacks and beverages. Sometimes it’s crackers and cheese, sometimes an array of cookies, sometimes much more – even wine or beer. But if some bonus noshing isn’t enough to trip your trigger, there are a few other reasons why I like swinging by receptions whenever I can. Chief among them being they fit your schedule for the evening. Receptions typically last around 90 minutes to two hours, and you can come and go whenever you want. You don’t have to show up and be held captive by a specific performance start time and duration. If your dinner ran long, no problem. If you have to cut out early to hit the sack, don’t worry about it. Stay for 10 minutes, stay for an hour – it’s all good. Art receptions can often come with other types of entertainment built right in too, like low-impact live music or related performances happening along with the art (again though, you don’t have to stay for the whole thing). You’re getting in to see the art free, you might as well grab some free tunes along with it. And, in addition to all the good cultural vibes emanating from such an event, there’s also the “retail therapy” aspect. Most of the work at a reception is for sale. You can (and should!) buy some local original artwork to adorn your home or business, or to give as a gift whenever you can. It looks good, feels good, and supports our regional creative economy. So check out the art listings in V1 whenever you can and add a little art to your entertainment planning repertoire.