Local Artists Host Downtown Art Show

Though the Gilroy Garlic Festival might be returning this weekend to Christmas Hill Park, local artists hope residents and out-of-town guests will stop downtown Friday to check out the hip local art scene.

According to event organizer and Gilroy native Dylan Kelly, his event, titled Save Our City, will feature outdoor live painting, local music performances, large-scale art installations and a poetry slam with an open mic 5-10 p.m., Friday at the Dragonfly on Fifth coffee shop, 7501 Monterey St.

The show will feature local art and installations by Kelly and longtime friend Luis Rivas, who has helped organize the event, along with local artists Mike 3.5, Basic Lee and Steven Reece.

According to Kelly, Friday’s gathering will be a great chance for Gilroy’s youth to also showcase their art and create awareness about the local art scene.

“Through this event, I want to make Girloy a more colorful place and give back,” Kelly said. “I want to make more acquaintances and give exposure to local artists who don’t have any avenues in Gilroy to express their art.”

Kelly and Rivas, who created the giant mural on the building occupied by Nine Lives Club in downtown Gilroy, will be installing several art pieces inside the Dragonfly on Fifth café, where they have donated their art in the past.

John Russell, a member of Rally Round Downtown Gilroy, a local advocacy group that aims to promote downtown businesses, said the art show will help bring people down to Monterey street to appreciate art as well as urge civic participation.

“The live art demonstration not only draws attention to downtown Gilroy in a creative and positive manner, but the call for public participation helps make this our downtown,” Russell said. “This is a great opportunity for people to come down, enjoy the art in progress and patronize some of the restaurants in the surrounding area.”