With warmer weather coming to Norman, there is no better time to enjoy the city.  On April 9, we will bring you a special 2^nd Friday Circuit of Art, where the community gathers to kick off the festival and summer arts season.

The arts walk is a monthly Cleveland Area Rapid Transit route that connects the Downtown Arts District with outlying galleries, performance halls and Campus Corner to accompany an art walk the second Friday of each month.

This month’s art walk includes the Norman Arts Council’s Community Kick-StART.  This special event will take place next to the Firehouse Art Center, located at 444 South Flood Avenue in Lions Park, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Community Kick-StART will be an evening full of free fun and entertainment for the whole community. Free chips and salsa will be provided by Freebirds to snack on while guests enjoy a live performance featuring Norman’s own music group, Off Boyd Jazz.

The event will feature an interactive community collage. Paints and brushes will be provided for the event, though community members are encouraged to bring any kind of art supplies (including flat artworks and printed photographs) to attach or use on a large canvas designed to represent the city of Norman.

Guests are encouraged to then hop on the trolley and experience the NAC’s signature event, 2^nd Friday Circuit of Art.  This art walk offers a snapshot of the Norman arts scene, which features the best in local talent, venues and cuisine.

For only 50 cents per ride or $2 for the whole evening, visitors can park and hop on a CART trolley at Republic Bank & Trust on the corner of Main Street and University Boulevard, or any other stop on the route, and visit participating art galleries and organizations from 6 to 10 p.m. CART riders can get on or off at any of the multiple stops throughout the evening.

Of course, Community Kick-Start is just one of the events taking place during April’s event.  Other free activities and openings are scheduled by members of the Norman Gallery Association and its supporting organizations throughout the night.

A complete list of each participating gallery, the night’s events and members of the Norman Gallery Association, as well as a CART map for the evening and instructions for riding, is available online at www.normangalleryassociation.com as well as http://2ndfridaynorman.com/. Or, follow the event and organization on twitter (normanarts & 2ndfridaynorman) and facebook.