L/A Arts will turn downtown Lewiston into a vibrant arts district once again this summer when Art Walk L/A resumes for the season on Friday, May 30. This monthly series will take place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on the last Friday of every month through September.

This year, over twenty greater Lisbon Street organizations and several empty storefronts will open their doors to the community to host visual art galleries, live performances, and special exhibits. Free performances at Dufresne Plaza will return as a focal point of the festivities. New for this year will be an online catalog of the works on display, giving patrons an opportunity to browse, enjoy, and even purchase featured items before and after the event.

The mission of Art Walk L/A is to foster a sense of community while celebrating the vibrancy of downtown Lewiston-Auburn through self-guided tours of participating venues that have been converted into temporary arts spaces. At the beginning of the season, participating businesses decide whether to curate their own spaces or have L/A Arts do so, with all venues displaying new work by local artists each month. Maps of the Art Walk route provide patrons with information about the artists and exhibits. Live performances take place at Dufresne Plaza or, in the event of rain, in Callahan Hall at Lewiston Public Library.

Local artists are encouraged to submit their work. In exchange for a $5 submission fee and a 5% payment processing fee on sales, artists receive extensive exposure and an opportunity to sell their works to the hundreds of arts appreciators who attend the event each month. For the first time this year, no commissions will be charged on sales.

Originally started in 2011 as a grassroots endeavor supported by community members, Art Walk L/A is now spearheaded by L/A Arts in partnership with numerous downtown organizations. The monthly series has become a key cultural, civic, and economic development event for the Twin Cities, driving thousands of people to the downtown area each summer. The series has been so successful that multiple Lisbon Street businesses have kept the celebration going throughout the year by creating a Winter Art Walk.

For information about volunteering or submitting art this summer, contact L/A Arts at 782-7228. For more information about the monthly events, or to see this month’s catalog of displayed works, see www.artwalklewistonauburn.com.