Get ready, Oil City! The Oil Heritage Art Show is back for 2026 and it’s rocking a fresh new look of absolute awesomeness. If you’ve felt like the annual show was in need of a spark, brace yourselves, our good friend Kaleb Lewis took the helm, and he’s completely flipped the script on how we experience local art in town.
Instead of one single traditional gallery space, Kaleb transformed the event into an interactive, town-wide art walking tour called Artscape! The show brings “Art on Every Corner” by taking artwork out of hiding and placing it directly inside vibrant local businesses across Oil City.
Important Dates to Remember
- Artscape Walking Tour Dates: July 22nd through August 16th
- Artist Reception and Kick Off Party: Wednesday, July 22nd, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Clifford’s Carpets
How Artscape Works: The Sticker Tour Experience
This isn’t just a walk, it’s a full-on treasure hunt for art lovers:
- Grab Your Tour Booklet: Pick up your official Artscape walking tour booklet/map at participating spots.
- Explore & Collect: As you hop from business to business checking out local talent, you’ll collect a special sticker for your booklet at each location.
- Claim Your Prize: Once your booklet is fully stickered up from touring all the stops, take it back to The Fallen Shoppe to collect something extra special! (Pro tip: The first 100 people to turn in their completed booklets snag a sweet swag bag!)
It’s such a brilliant, community-driven idea that bridges the gap between local artists, downtown businesses, and art enthusiasts. Klee and I are beyond stoked to be a small part of helping bring this vision to life!
Where to Find the Art: Participating Locations
You can explore the works and collect stickers at all these fantastic local spots:
- Baked Goods from Heaven
- Clifford’s Carpets
- Core Goods
- Cork and Screw
- Sage and Saints
- TAGG Gallery
- The Exchange
- The Fallen Shoppe
- The Library (Youth and Children’s Art)
- Williams Travel Plus
- Woods and River Coffee (North and South locations)
Double the Art at The Exchange
Klee and I spent time down at The Exchange helping set up and stage the display panels, and there are some truly stunning works on exhibition here this year.
When you stop by The Exchange during your Artscape tour, you’ll actually be treated to two incredible exhibitions running side by side:
- The Oil Heritage Art Show Exhibition: Featuring breathtaking local submissions across various media, including standout focal pieces like the massive, captivating Marilyn Monroe portrait by Fred Carrow rendered with striking textured gridwork bottle caps, alongside gorgeous landscapes, expressive portraits, and fine crafts.
- The Imagination Exhibition: Part of Gallery Night At The Exchange, this collection features wildly creative, colorful, and surreal pop/abstract art (including eye-catching pieces like “Life is Meant to Be Lived” by Lex and whimsical mixed-media works).
From giant statement pieces to intricate canvas paintings and framed illustrations, the setup at The Exchange is brimming with creative energy. Seeing all these local works standing tall on the black display panels in the light-filled hall makes every bit of the setup work worth it.
Get Out There and Explore!
A huge shoutout to Kaleb Lewis for breathing new life into a beloved local tradition and to all the participating businesses making this town-wide gallery possible.
So grab your walking shoes, pick up an Artscape booklet, come marvel at the talent displayed at The Exchange, and go collect those stickers! See you out on the tour!
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