First Fridays Artwalk in Centro Historico

What I missed about the San Francisco Bay Area were the multitude of art galleries and museums. There are many artists working in Mazatlan - and more moving down all the time. What we needed, I thought, was more venues, more opportunities for the visual arts and artists to be showcased as well as giving them an opportunity to sell their work. Thus I created - with help from my friends - First Fridays Artwalk.

I was involved in the organization of some of the first Open Studio events in San Jose, Ca in the 80's at the old Citadel Cannery. It was a fun event where visitors took their lives into their own hands traipsing up the rickety stairwells of the old wooden cannery - a definite fire hazard. The idea later grew to include the greater downtown area and now has evolved to5 counties - Open Studios of Silicon Valley.

Four years ago we inaugurated the Open Studio tour once a year in Mazatlan and it was met with great enthusiasm and to crys of "do it more than once a year!" After all, this is a tourist destination. So for the 2nd year, First Fridays Artwalk/Camino del Arte has been held on the first Friday of each month - November thru May.

The Official Version:

The Cultural Season in Mazatlan’s Centro Historico has begun – and along with the concerts of music, dance and theatre comes the First Fridays Artwalk or Camino del Arte. This is where the Visual Arts takes the spotlight, highlighting artists showing their paintings, photography, jewelry, sculpture, drawings, fiber art, printmaking and more. On the first Friday of each month, November thru May, the public is invited to pick up a map and enjoy this free, self-guided walking tour. Artist sites are located within an approximate 10 block area from Teniente Azueta to Olas Altas, east to west and Aleman to Canizales, north to south.

From 4 to 8pm, you can take a rare peak into artists’ studios and homes as well as see exciting works hanging in local shops and galleries. The sequential dates for the 08-09 season are: December 5, January 2, February 6, March 6, April 3, and May 1. This year’s event has grown to 21 sites with over 35 artists represented. It is an international group, with artists from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Holland, Italy, and of course, Mexico.

Patrons of the arts will find a wide range of styles and techniques to choose from. You can come with the intent to just enjoy the art and meet the artists or to purchase unique works of art. It’s a great way to spend a Friday afternoon until just after twilight before going out to dinner at one of the many great restaurants in the Historic District. And it becomes a real scene on the street with people moving to and fro to various sites with maps in hand.

Free Artwalk maps are available in stores, hotels and restaurants, and on the website: Also visit the website to get a taste of each artist’s work, their biographies and philosophies: www.artwalkmazatlan.com