First Friday: Black Art and Culture

Join us at Mainframe Studios for First Friday on November 6 from 5–8pm! Explore five floors of open artist studios, discover new exhibitions, enjoy live music and interactive art activities, and grab a bite from local food vendors. It’s one of Des Moines’ favorite monthly arts events, and it’s free and open to everyone.

Featured this month is WE ANSWER TO EACH OTHER, juried by: Abena Sankofa Imhotep and Dr. Negus Rudison-Imhotep. Celebrating Black artistic practice as an evolving conversation across the African diaspora, We Answer to Each Other explores cultural inheritance, identity, community, migration, spirituality, liberation, and political imagination. Welcoming diverse perspectives rooted in both lived experience and creative vision, the exhibition highlights the many ways Black artists preserve history, shape culture, and imagine new futures - from joy and ritual to resistance and resilience.

Guests can also enjoy live entertainment from Afriwell Hub and take part in interactive art activities throughout the building. First Friday at Mainframe Studios is family-friendly, free, and open to the public.

Expanded overflow parking at 8th & Center St. and a complimentary shuttle make getting here easy!

We look forward to welcoming you to Mainframe Studios for an evening of art, creativity, and community!