My first visit to Bull City Arts Collaborative (BCAC) was a little disappointed. Steve A. and I stumbled upon the shop during our first Third Friday experience, where the doors were open but no one was interacting with patrons. Not a deal breaker, but there were also no refreshments or beverages offered like most of the Third Friday participants. I really felt no reason to return in the future. HOWEVER, fast forward to a spontaneous visit during a Saturday Farmers Market and my opinion of the studio has gone up. Although there was still no one to interact with us while viewing the small gallery at the front of the shop, I enjoyed the artwork and information available to visitors.
BCAC is an "arts and creative professional alliance comprised of three studios." A documentary film and video production studio called The Groove Productions; a graphic design, fine press publishing, and letterpress printing shop called Horse & Buggy Press; and a fine art and portrait photography studio called Marthanna Yater. These three studios offer commissioned work and retail artworks in their own variety of media. They also regularly have rotating artists in the "Upfront Gallery" in the space, open to the public Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings as well as every Third Friday from 6-9pm. The exhibits change every month and are comprise of everything from photography, sculpture and pottery to letterpress work and even custom pillows and bags. I recommend stopping by if you're in the area, but I wouldn't go out of the way to visit. Also, since it's a little out of the way of most of the Third Friday vendors, I wouldn't put it on my "must hit" list. read more