By Beth Sluys

It is an exciting time for entrepreneurs on the Northside. We are lucky to have many new businesses locate here, including Naly’s Flower Shop (NorthGate Center), Bear and Bottle (601 N. Sherman Ave.), Dutch’s Auto Service (1102 N. Sherman Ave.), Ogden’s North Street Diner (560 North St.), Bistro Honda and Goodwill Industries (both at Northside TownCenter) to name a few. We are also lucky to have many wonderful artists who live on the Northside.

In an effort to foster creative collaborations, area artists and members of the NorthSide Artists Group (northside-art.org) are interested in showing their artwork at Northside businesses that might want to host a Gallery Night on Friday, May 4.

Each spring and fall, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) hosts a Gallery Night event throughout Madison. Gallery Night is an excellent opportunity for area businesses and organizations to open their doors to a large and diverse audience. It offers promotional exposure for participating venues and fosters excitement for the Madison arts scene, while highlighting its many unique members and showcasing area businesses. VSA Wisconsin (1709 Aberg Ave.) has been hosting Gallery Night at their facility for several years, and it would be great if other area venues would consider this opportunity.

Community organizations, businesses, galleries, boutiques and studios are invited to apply. All venues must place an emphasis on showing original artwork in their space on Gallery Night and are responsible for coordinating programming and featured artwork for their unique event. Participating venues often plan talks, demonstrations or other live entertainment to complement the visual art on that is on display. Individual artists who need a venue and area businesses who are interested in providing a venue are encouraged to collaborate for this event.

By participating in Gallery Night, your business or organization will benefit from a comprehensive promotional campaign including:

• Prominent listing in the Gallery Night brochure mailed to some 2,000 MMoCA members and distributed to all participating venues;
• Listing in a full-page ad in Isthmus;
• Listing on MMoCA’s website, which also includes an interactive map of all participating venues;
• Inclusion in a press release sent to dozens of local print, radio and TV media outlets;
• Posters throughout the city.

The registration fee is $175. The 2018 Spring Gallery Night is Friday May 4, and the registration deadline is Thursday, March 1. For more information and to download the application, venue owners can visit the MMoCA website at MMOCA.org/gallery-night or contact Kaitlin Kropp at kaitlin@mmoca.org or 257-0158 ext. 224.

Gallery Night events are free, open to the public and will take place from 5‒9 pm, unless otherwise noted by the venue.