First Friday Round-up in Nulu

South 4th Street Business Association

West Main Street Gallery Association

Museum Row on Main

Self-Guided Public Art Walk at Waterfront Park

Even as our museums and cultural institutions are temporarily closed, there are many opportunities to enjoy beautiful works of art throughout Waterfront Park.  Take a walk to see them all in one day or enjoy multiple visits to the park to view them. Click here to download a printable map!

“Tetra” by Charles O. Perry (1929-2011)

Located in the Festival Plaza – this bronze sculpture celebrates the laws of nature and the geometry inherent in natural forms. Tetra was a gift to the Waterfront Park by the children and grandchildren of Sara Shallenberger Brown in honor of her 85^th Birthday.

“Gracehoper” by Tony Smith (1912-1980)

Located on the Overlook near the Great Lawn, this steel sculpture is the second in the series by the American Sculptor. The experience in viewing the iconic piece is dynamic, viewers can walk around, under and through the sculpture. Named for a central passage in James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. The sculpture is on loan from the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts.

“Flock of Finns” – a tribute to beloved Louisville folk artist Marvin Finn (1913-2007)

Located adjacent to the South Great Lawn. This colorful gathering of 28 fanciful steel bird sculptures are based on original artworks by Finn. Finn was born in Alabama as a sharecroppers son and had many siblings. He did not have many toys as a child and learned to whittle his own from wood. He moved to Louisville after WWII and continued to create toys for his children and grandchildren. His wife used a jigsaw to cut works that Finn drew. These colorful renditions are a delight to all park passersby and some measure as high as 9 feet.

“Lincoln Memorial” by Ed Hamilton

This area of the park was created as part of the Lincoln Bicentennial celebration and is part of the Lincoln Heritage Trail. The Memorial features a 2.5 times life size version of Abraham Lincoln who is seated on a rock and is approachable. There are 4 bas reliefs which tell the story of Abraham Lincoln’s life and were co-created between Hamilton and Juliette Erlanger. The Memorial is a lovely place for a picnic lunch in the amphitheater which is inscribed with famous phrases from our 16^th President who saved the Union and ended slavery in the United States. The memorial was funded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the family of Harry S. Frazier, Jr., and the Kentucky Historical Society/Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

“Bike Sense” by Todd Smith

A temporary sound installation on the Big Four Bridge – Bike Sense Louisville is a public art project centered around bicycle use in Louisville, Kentucky. Temperature, air-quality and location data is being collected from volunteer cyclists around Louisville. Using small sensor units that attach to bicycles, the data is being interpreted into sound in real-time and playing in a wind chime like manner over speakers on the Big Four Bridge. With this health and cycling information, the city can make important changes to bike paths and routes. Bike Sense was commissioned by Louisville Metro Government’s Commission on Public Art.

Learn more about Bike Sense here.

Alley Gallery

Alley Gallery is a project of the Louisville Downtown Partnership to repurpose alley and back-of-the-building metal doors into an outdoor gallery featuring the work of local artists. Hop on your bike or take a walk and explore locally produced public art in Downtown Louisville!
Alley Gallery Map Link
Alley Gallery Downloadable 11x17in. Map (PDF – 2.37MB)

The Louisville Downtown Civil Rights Trail

The Louisville Civil Rights Trail was opened to the public in 2013. It includes 11 markers created by renowned sculptor Ed Hamilton, and located throughout downtown Louisville detailing sites and events which took place in the mid-20th century as part of the struggle for civil rights and desegregation in the city.

Rejuvenated South Fourth Street Alley Renamed To Music Alley

The alley between Mercury Ballroom and the Louisville Public Media building is Downtown Louisville’s latest example of “tactical urbanism” and was renamed today to Music Alley. The privately-owned alley recently underwent a makeover that includes all-night market lighting, painting of the concrete surface, plantings, and the addition of a fenced enclosure with Alley Gallery artwork to provide on-site storage of furniture.

Murals: Larger Than Life Street Art in Downtown Louisville

The sides of many buildings in Downtown Louisville are home to many amazing pieces of “street art.” Many of these murals are created by local artists who call Louisville their home. Check out some of the wonderful murals you can find in our Downtown.