Today we are going to discuss everything we know about art in Springfield. Galleries, museums, supplies, schools, shows, events and more will all be broken down in depth on this page.
The goal is to get you the info you need as quickly as we can. We will begin by diving into the best Springfield Art Galleries and Museums where you can see some of the finest exhibitions and collections the city has to offer.
After that we will discuss where you can find all of the best art supply stores near you. Events and shows that are held throughout the year will get their own section.
Contents
You may want to take an art walking tour or check out some of the most creative statues and sculptures around town on a sunny day. Springfield art classes and lessons will definitely get a shout out and there are classes for both kids and adults that are available.
If you are ready to start your next project soon art studios for rent near you will be discussed. Framing shops, dealers, and appraisers will also be covered as the post progresses.
The Northeast is an area of the country we have written about numerous times.
Best Art Galleries & Museums In Springfield
When you want to see the best art galleries and museums in Springfield you can head to:
- Springfield Museums at 21 Edwards St
- Art for the Soul Gallery at 1500 Main St
- Court Square Art Gallery at 70 Tapley St
- Valley Photo Center at 1500 Main St
- Amy H Carberry Fine Arts Gallery at 1 Armory St
- William Blizard Gallery at Blake Hall Springfield College
There are actually five excellent options at Springfield Museums including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden. You can enter both of those and the others by purchasing just one ticket.
Over half a million people visit them ever year to check out the over 250,000 objects and more than 1,000,000 archived photos and documents. They even provide art classes for all ages.
The Valley Photo Center gallery exhibits, receptions and noon programs are all free of charge. They host photography workshops and accept photo submissions from the public.
On site they work on visual and performing arts, movies, have an art gallery and provide classes. Plus they hot painting workshops for adults and kids above the age of 13 and are a major player in the cities First Friday Artwalk.
There are generally about half a dozen yearly exhibits at The Amy H. Carberry Fine Arts Gallery that were created by local artists and STCC students. This is another art gallery near you that is free to enter.
Materials & Supplies Near You
The best places to buy art supplies and materials near you are:
- Simply Beadiful at 1916 1/2 Wilbraham Rd
- Dollar Tree at 555 State St
- Michaels at 1081 Riverdale St
Of course you can buy a wide selection of beads at Simply Beadiful but they also have classes, host birthday parties, ladies nights out, and have a bunch of gifts and jewelry you might be interested in.
Dollar Tree isn’t an art store, but they do sell a whole lot of art supplies for cheap. Michaels is an all-around arts and crafts store that provides custom framing services.
Shows & Events
The top annual art shows and events in town would be:
- Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Party in March
- Mattoon Street Arts Festival in September
- Summer Arts Festival in June and July
- Spring Sampler Craft Fair in March
- Farmers Park Art Show in October
- Fresh Paint Springfield in June
Every March Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Party is held at Springfield Museum and it is free for local residents. There will be a puppet show, music, family games, book giveaways, art demonstrations and all sorts of fun stuff for everyone.
The longest running arts and crafts show in Pioneer Valley is the Mattoon Street Arts Festival. Every September on the weekend after Labor Day there will be hundreds of exhibitors, food vendors, and street musicians at this free to enter event.
Each June to July the Springfield Arts Council throws the six-week Summer Arts Festival in Veterans Park. Generally a little under 1000,000 people gather for the live music, movies, kids fest, wine and beer tastings and more.
Around 150 juried artisans in a variety of medias and crafts show off their work at the Spring Sampler Craft Fair each March at the Eastern States Exposition’s Young Building. Many of them will give free demonstrations, plus there will be live music and other activities.
The Farmers Park of the Ozarks pavilion is home to The Art Show during the third weekend of every October. This free to enter event will have lots of artwork for sale, you can meet the artists, and there will be food and alcoholic beverage tastings going on to boot.
Every June the downtown area gets turned into a festival of murals that you won’t want to miss when the Fresh Paint Festival is going on. 15-20 professional muralists turn 20,000 square feet of building walls into something magical.
Art Dealers & Appraisers
When you are ready to find a new piece for your collection or when you want to know how much a piece is worth you can go to art dealers and appraisers near you like:
- Rtwoods Arts at 235 State St
- Van Gogh Reproductions at 215 Fort Pleasant St
Rtwoods Arts can help with the conservation and installation of fine art, art and artist consulting, show curating, as well as custom framing. They work with private citizens, non-profits, and corporations.
Van Gogh Reproductions focuses solely on the creation of the highest quality paintings by Vincent Van Gogh. They offer free shipping and a 30 day money back guarantee.
Art For the Soul Gallery and Valley Photo Center from our main list also sell art.
Walking Tours
Art walking tours are a wonderful way to get out and see something new:
- First Friday Art Walk at 411 N Sherman Pkwy
- Second Saturday Walking Tours at 74 Walnut St
Every First Friday of the month the streets of downtown Springfield come alive from 6-10pm for the First Friday Art Walk. There will be many local artists showing off their latest works and giving demonstrations, live music, food and more.
Starting off at the Springfield Museums Welcome Center the Second Saturday Walking Tours peruse through the downtown area from May to October on each Second Saturday. The tours start at 10:30am, last about an hour, and are free for Springfield Preservation Trust and Springfield Museums members.
Also don’t forget about the Fresh Paint Festival in June.
Sculptures & Statues
Some of our favorite sculptures and statues around town are:
- Dr Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden at 21 Edwards St
- Peter Toth Indian Head at Laurel Hill Rd
- Miles Morgan Statue at Court St
Dr Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden was opened in 2002 at the Springfield Museums. It was created by sculptor Lark Grey Dimond-Cates.
Omiskanoagwiak: Peter Toth Indian Head created by Peter Wolf Toth in 1984 and located at the south entrance to Forest Park.
Miles Morgan is a constable and selectman of Springfield, was honored in 1882 by the erection of a statue in Court Square by Jonathan Scott Hartley.
Springfield Art Classes
Whether you need lessons for kids or are an adult who wants to grow their skills you have some options. The best Springfield art schools and classes near you can be found at:
- Gifted Tones Paint & Music Lounge at 1655 Boston Rd
- SAA Main Campus at 700 N 4th St
- Springfield Conservatory of the Arts at 339 State St
- Holyoke Creative Arts Center at 150 Front St #5, West Springfield
- Raine Fine Art School at 126 Industrial Dr, East Longmeadow
Gifted Tones Paint & Music Lounge offers after school painting classes at 4-6pm. They also host parties for kids, adult, and fundraiser.
SAA Main Campus offers art clasess in 13 different mediums for all ages from beginner to advanced skills. They also provide Art Outreach for free and held summer art camps for children and teens in one-week long intensive into a theme or art media.
The Holyoke Creative Arts Center provides classes for members and the general public. You can attend a single class as a drop-in student too. They offer various classes such as upholstery, chair caning, painting, and much more for all skill levels. They offer day and night sessions.
Raine Fine Art School offers after school fine art classes, fine art summer camp and summer art classes for childrens, from grade 2 through High school. They also offer evening classes. All sessions are taught at age appropriate skill levels to maximize the student’s abilities and enjoyment of the overall experience.
Springfield Museums from our main list and Simply Beadiful from art supplies list also offer classes.
Studios For Rent Near You
If you want to rent an art studio in your area try out:
- Studio 235 at 235 Western Ave
- Springfield Ceramics and Crafts Club at 2626 South Pasfield
- Busy Bees Pottery & Art Studio at 459 Baltimore Pike
Art For the Soul Gallery and the Springfield Art Museum from our main list also have studio for rent.
Framing
A frame can transform a regular looking piece or picture to that next level and some of the best places for art framing in Springfield are:
- Jeff’s Picture Framing at 1027 E Columbus Ave
- Jh Miller Custom Framing at 86 Elm St
- Giclee Printing & Framing at 34 Front St #235, Indian Orchard
Jeff’s Picture Framing offers an amazing selection of more than 5,000 frames and mouldings to display your photo, artwork, or print. They also offer custom framing, commercial framing, installation, frame repair, glass replacement, and delivery.
J H Miller Custom Framing Co is known as Western Massachusetts oldest frame shop and gallery. They provide thousands of frame choices and offer various services, including custom framing, conservation framing, commercial art consultation, canvas stretching, glass replacement,frame restoration, and much more.
Giclée Printing and Framing of New England is a gallery, frame shop and giclée printer. They specialize in fine art reproduction, giclée printing, custom framing, digital imaging, digital restoration, art and photo packaging for resale and private personalized service. They also offer free image consultation.
Michaels from art supplies list and Rtwoods Arts from art dealer list also offer custom framing. You can find some of our other art guides for nearby cities here:
Have Fun Enjoying The Springfield Art Scene
At the moment that is all we have to share but we tried to cover the full art scene near you. The best galleries, museums, events, shows, supply stores, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures, classes, studios, and framers in the area were mentioned here.
Please use the comments to share your own local tips or to let us know if you think we got anything wrong. We hope you enjoy your time at the best Springfield Art Galleries, Museums, Supply Stores or doing whatever it else you plan to do with the info.