While downtown Eau Claire receives much of the creative renaissance focus of late, an uptown establishment takes top honors for Best Art Gallery this year. Artisan Forge Studios (1106 Mondovi Road) is a growing artists’ collective on top of Eau Claire’s big hill that features work on display from some of the almost 50 artists who share the space. Back downtown, art (and wine!) lovers showed their appreciation for 200 Main (200 Main St., Eau Claire) a gallery that hosts the work of local and regional artists. In third place, the Pablo Center at the Confluence (128 Graham Ave., Eau Claire) carries on the tradition established by ECRAC’s Janet Carson Gallery as they feature the work of visual artists set alongside striking river views. – Eric Rasmussen