BN Life

BN’s Art Scene
Listen to Your Art
Look deeper into Bloomington-Normal’s culture scene and you’ll find a thriving, vibrant arts community. More than 20 art galleries offer a stunning variety of art, from studio crafts, to glass, photography, folk art, textiles and jewelry. Most of the galleries are located in Downtown Bloomington within a half-mile radius of Museum Square, making it convenient to browse from shop to shop.
One of the reasons why Bloomington-Normal’s art scene is so unique is because it is highly interactive. On the first Friday of each month, the Downtown Bloomington Association hosts F1rst Fr1days, where shopping, dining and entertainment vendors stay open past their normal business hours to provide visitors with special deals and exciting events. Explore an art gallery or an exhibit as you sip wine from a tasting, sample a delicious meal and enjoy live music.
Uptown Normal is the new home of University Galleries, which is located at street level underneath Uptown Station’s parking deck. The gallery, which has a sleek, industrial feel thanks to its new location, has five art spaces that display works of nationally and internationally known artists as well as ISU students and professors.
To take or self-guided tour of Bloomington-Normal’s art galleries, visit https://www.visitbn.org/visit/listings/individual-tours/.