By Emily Grab

Every month in Juneau, First Friday presents a unique opportunity for UAS students to engage with the broader community as they explore art, local businesses, and cultural exhibits that showcase the vibrant heart of the city. The next First Friday event is Friday, April 4, 2025.  

UAS students attended First Friday on Feb. 7, 2025, with the Student Activities Board. The event was planned as a way for students to familiarize themselves with Capital Transit and go downtown with other UAS students. 

First Friday creates a unique environment for students to interact with local artists, vendors, other students, and Juneauites. This can lead to networking opportunities and help students showcase their work. It also gives students living on campus in the Auke Bay area a chance to further explore Juneau. Every month on First Friday, the Alaska State Museum offers free admission and often features different local artists. 

“First Friday is a way for people here at UAS to connect with the community and beat out some of those seasonal depression blues. I like having the opportunity to leave campus and support small businesses, and a lot of the stuff there is unique to Alaska,” said Gianna Angeletti, a UAS student. 

Many UAS students feel confined to the Auke Bay area and limit their shopping to Fred Meyer. Students can support smaller local businesses and find a variety of goods, including prints created by local artists, plants and pottery, jewelry, board games, and books.

Students can also connect with peers with similar interests and career goals while meeting others with diverse perspectives and aspirations.

“Juneau is a very special place where people can explore who they are and their talents while also having platforms to showcase their work within the greater community. First Friday is all about small business, art, and community,” said Bridget Monks, UAS Student Engagement and Leadership Manager.

Alaska State Museum Featured Artists

First Friday admission is free at the Alaska State Museum, where visitors can view Alaskan culture and heritage exhibits.

“I think going is important because it’s an opportunity to learn about the history and culture of indigenous cultures in Alaska. It’s important for me to understand the land I’m on,” Angeletti said.

UAS students Halle Crawford, Jai Kirk, and Makenna Kirk at the Alaska State Museum. Photos by Emily Grab

Tamara Wilson, Ree Nancarrow, and Lou Logan were February’s First Friday featured artists. Wilson’s collection “Slinkies and the Window Frame” was featured at the Alaska State Museum. Wilson is an Alaska-born installation mixed-media artist and University of Alaska Fairbanks alumna, currently residing in Fairbanks. She said she believes that “work informs life, and life informs work.” She advises aspiring student sculptors to “be open to making different work without expensive equipment” and to focus on sustainability and experimentation rather than striving for perfection.

Ree Nancarrow’s featured collection, “Sharing the World I Know,” was adjacent to Wilson’s and included quilts representing Alaska’s ecosystem and environment. With a background in environmental science, her work comments on the effects of global warming and highlights the natural beauty of Alaska.

Makenna Kirk looks at Ree Nancarrow’s “Salmon in the Trees” at the Alaska State Museum. Photo by Emily Grab

Rae Mills

Rae Mills teaches weaving at UAS and is one of three artists featured at Lily Hope Studios. Mills began weaving during the COVID-19 quarantine via Zoom and YouTube with Lily Hope and Kay Parker, both current and past UAS educators.

Mills is working on a Community Robe featuring nonbinary colors and will lead a natural dye and spinning class. They identify as Two-Spirit, an umbrella term used by several Indigenous cultures to describe a third gender or gender-variant identity.

Mills said it is crucial to keep Indigenous art forms and inclusive spaces available at UAS to support students. Mills encourages students to check out Lily Hope’s studio in downtown Juneau at 221 Seward St. and to “come say hi” to Lily and them.

Getting to First Friday

Downtown Juneau is accessible by the City and Borough of Juneau’s Capital Transit bus system. Monthly bus passes are free for students at the Student Accounts Office in the Novatney Building. On February 7th, the Student Activities Board provided students with printed bus schedules and a list of First Friday activities to help them navigate the event. SAB is doing the same this semester.

Two Capital Transit bus stops are conveniently located near campus on Mendenhall Loop Road. On the Back Loop near the UAS Recreation Center, Capital Transit bus number four offers departures to downtown Juneau at the top of each hour. On the main campus side of Mendenhall Loop Road, Capital Transit bus number three departs at 20 minutes past the hour. Both routes provide direct transportation to downtown Juneau without requiring a transfer.

Students have described Capital Transit buses as “safe” and “clean.” The buses can be tracked via Google and Apple Maps.

City and Borough of Juneau Map

The Student Activities Board will continue creating opportunities for students to attend First Friday together, resuming in the fall semester. For more information, contact Bridget Monks at bmmonks@alaska.edu