Across from City Hall is this very serene and open gallery space run by the city's culture…read moredepartment. Their offices are on the 2nd floor. This first floor galley is unmanned and free to the public. The exhibits rotate frequently. I've attended city meetings and trainings in this space which is a nice change from regular conference rooms to say the least. The building is quiet with not much foot traffic. It's a perfect getaway if you're in downtown and want a moment to yourself. The restaurant O'live is next door.

A gorgeous space in the heart of our city that features wonderful arts & cultural programming.read more

Recently came for Matt Tumlinson's "Tributaries" show. This gallery is a lovely little spot to view…read moresome artwork and then walk to grab a bite or drink at a nearby spot. There was no entry fee, but they did have canned drinks available for purchase. Foot traffic can vary depending when you go. Openings or First Fridays seem to always be busy. This is definitely worth a stop if you're at Blue Star!

Flight is the coolest art in San Antonio! This place is…read morealways keeping it fresh, with new and interesting art. The main artist, Justin Parr is a talented artist and photographer. He runs the gallery with great skill, bringing in a constant flow of innovative artists. The art in the main gallery here is often the kind of art that wouldn't be appropriate to hang over your fireplace, it's art that makes a statement, and is art for art's sake. Many of the pieces are for sale, some seem to be for display only. There is usually a collection of smaller pieces of art at very reasonable prices, and I'm proud to say that I have a bunch of artistic bumper stickers that I've gotten from Flight! This gallery is the home of the Turn it Off! sticker series. I've always been a huge fan of this gallery's stickers. There's easy parking in Blue Star, and you can chain up your bikes on the patio.

Randomly walked into this gallery at La Cantera. The atmosphere was eerily silent, with no music…read more At this gallery, we were told that all artwork shown here are created by local artists, and that shipping is free. The majority of works are priced between $1k and $7k. A large variety of styles are available. What caught our eye was work using a particularly interesting color palette, located on the righthand wall. Basically, bright rainbow colors within very dark blue outlines and a dark background. Very eye catching and interesting to look at. The artist for those paintings happened to notice us admiring them and proceeded to explain why he decided to start painting them in this particular style and showed us some of his prior work in this style. Overall, pretty chill (if a bit quiet) and informative, with artwork from local artists.

La Cantera art gallery! This gallery showcases a bunch of…read moretalented local artists who mainly work in oil and acrylic paintings. They have a bunch of paintings all around a central theme: San Antonio, Texas. They've got wonderful paintings of the Riverwalk, so many paintings of the Alamo, and longhorn cattle. Windmills, and blue bonnet flowers. All of the things that you love about Texas. When we went, they had an artist in the corner who was vibing out and doing some live painting while we browsed! The paintings went from small scale, that'd you'd hang in a bathroom, to large scale that'd be at home in the centerpiece of any Texas ranch! The staff was there and made sure we knew that the artists were all local and that they ship to the lower 48 states, no matter how big the painting. The gallery was inviting and well lit, and they offered plenty of room to be able to take in all the art. There's a wide variety of artists, all doing cool stuff. It really is inspirational to see how artists see our beautiful city! They have counters set up that look like they could host events with some wine and cheese while you check out the art. Nom!

Say Si is a creative space for middle and high school students. My daughter is enrolled in the…read moremiddle school program that is held on Saturdays. Going into her second year she never hesitates to go despite having to wake up early on a weekend. She is in art and theater where they are always brainstorming ideas for new projects and plays. The staff delves into topics that are relevant to their age group. Last year they tackled the subject of death. It was a sensitive topic but handled with much care and reverence by teachers. They keep parents informed about upcoming themes and events. Students are required to maintain good grades in school and must have good attendance. There is an application process and students are selected in order to attend. Some of their artwork goes on display in the galleries and is also for sale. This is a great way for students to learn about the business side of art. I'm proud to have my kid enrolled here. She has made friends from other parts of town, diverse backgrounds and lifestyles. They are an inclusive institution and make sure everyone feels accepted and welcome. If your child is creative I highly Recommend Say Sí.

I live in Southtown so therefore on first Friday I know where to wander to see the best art. This…read moreplace is amazing because many of the artists are youngsters and really put their heart into their work. If you're looking for great art pieces that don't beat your wallet up or just to tour a gallery on first Friday, go to say si. During first Friday they also have wine for free and cheese Cubes and fruit. Their art is usually thematic and that instructors also have a section of art. This place also has clean restrooms and usually a pop up will appear outside with food during first Friday such as panifco bake shop with cheesecakes, coffee and pan dulce(sweet bread). They also have an epic gallery of large loteria cards. Check it out!

Support the local arts scene! The 1906 is a series of eight…read moreart galleries in a big converted warehouse, where cool local artists and vendors gather to show off their wares and creations. There's often beer available for a donation, and sometimes there's even food trucks parked out there. Each gallery is always innovative, creative, and thoughtfully shown. There's a restroom hidden in the back. They named this series of art galleries after the address- 1906. Seems for such a creative space they could have come up with a more creative name, but at least you know where it is. The 1906 is part of the Lone Star Arts District scene. Come check this place out on the second Saturday of the month. If you show up at another time, you might need an appointment with the artists. One of the galleries is run by S.M.A.R.T., a local consortium of upstart artists who show enough pieces to do a whole show, or they'll just show a piece or two, often from high school students or younger, and are products of the educational space that this place makes available to students. The whole place is a non-profit organization! They often have DJs, and cool art that you can't even buy- installation pieces just there to make you think. Check out the large motorcycle artwork out in the parking lot. It was made by Bob "Daddy-O" Wade, the infamous Texas artist who made the giant boots outside of North Star Mall, and the giant musical frogs on top of Carl's Corner. Parking can be challenging- if you park a ways down the street, you should find a spot! Just be sure to park on the same side as the train tracks, because sometimes the trains come to a complete stop there, and can block you off from your car. This place also does custom framing. They have a huge selection of funky, weird woods and materials to frame your masterpiece. They have the saws there to make the proper cuts so all your works of art are properly displayed. Overall, this is a great place to hang out if you catch it at the right time, Second Saturday.

This place is sweet! Very picturesque and unique. This is a perfect spot for photographers to take…read morepictures at. Aside from the outside aesthetics, this place is one of the many locations in the Lone Star Arts District. The 1906 gallery features different local artists every month and is prominent during every second Saturday of the month! They offer free booze (with donations), snacks, and food trucks making it a really cool event to look forward to every month! If you already attend Second Saturday here, spread the word and bring your friends, dogs, or whoever, its sweet!

Nothing gives me more satisfaction as a Yelp reviewer than when I can write about a place, that I…read morehave the utmost respect and an admiration for. The San Anto Cultural Arts Center perfectly fits that description. It is a non-profit organization located in the Westside that serves the community with a grassroots effort. Through its various programs which include mural projects, writing, photography, art and music programs it is able to uplift and empower any neighborhood. Initially I came here for a fundraiser plate sale, put on by the excellent Mama Tierra; a vegetarian food truck. Seeing them put together plates made me think about the manner in which this center pulls resources together also. For example they put out a bi- monthly newspaper called "El Placazo", which seems to be a labor of love. What I like about it is that the contributors are all from the community who serve as principle writers, layout designers, poets, artists and photographers, giving it a narrative of struggle but also of perseverance. But by far one of its awe inspiring contributions to our city are in their commissioned murals. Typically they are done with a lead muralist who takes a sketch agreed by a community meeting. Then a team of artists, who work in a mentorship transform surrounding buildings into works of art. Some of their themes center around ideas of family, cultural identity, folklore, education etc. My favorite mural is the one they created entitled, "La Musica de San Anto" on West Commerce Street dedicated to influential musicians who have passed away. In addition they offer workshops, masterclasses with artists in residency or with the city's finest. As I was eating my plate in their main room a musician from Mexico was preparing to give a workshop on Son Jarocho, traditional folk music from Veracruz. A group, along with him performed an amazing impromptu set. Since most of their workshops are free they rely heavily on donations and fundraisers, like this plate sale to support their programs. Before I left I looked at all the silk screened prints all along their walls and thought about how important art is to our city, this center to this community. In a time when funding for the arts is shortcoming or no where to be found SACA finds a way to make it all happen. Through a grassroots effort they are able to engage the community with the various workshops and mural projects that they offer. And the corazon in their logo is there for a reason. You need HEART in order to have ART. .

Great staff and mural tours. They really believe in their community and neighborhood.read more

the ladies that create the clay art here are young and old, but each shows their creativity in…read morebeautiful folk art. I have some little dishes for jewelry, milagros, trees of life and a stunning little nativity that I treasure! Don't miss this chance for one of a kind folk art!

Amazing space and mission. My wife is from the area and coming down for a visit we ended up here…read more Looking around and listening to the woman talk in depth and passion about their art is a powerful experience. The prices are unlike any and for the quality and personal touch. You can't beat the price, quality, or experience of their work.

Freight is such a great gallery space! They've really transformed Gallito Studios, and made it a…read moreclean, well lit, easy to navigate art space! The place has really opened up their space- it used to be crowded with a maze of tight cubicles of gallery and studios. Now, it's a wide open central gallery, with studios and smaller galleries off to the sides. In the front, they now have a coffee shop! Cool! In the back, they've paved in the side and back yards, where bands set up, and additional galleries can be found. All of the art is local, handmade, and ranges in media. Some of the art can not be purchased, as they are installation pieces. The art here is all reasonably priced, and there's a great variety of artists and vendors selling cool stuff. This place gets hopping for Second Saturday, a monthly art walk that centers around the galleries by the train tracks at South Flores. The art is just part of the scene- check out the live music too! Budding artists can rent space here to do their art, and sell it when they have events. Other than Second Saturday, you might need to book an appointment to come by many of the artists' galleries, but it seems that coffee is served all day.

I always loved Kimura. Then I heard they were opening up inside of Freight...and my love grew!…read more I frequent the breweries in the area, and now have ramen down the street! Same great taste! Awesome/artsy location! Staff was super friendly and service was great!