Updated May 6, 2026, 8:37 a.m. ET
Lights, trolleys and lots of creative action are coming to Greater Fall River starting this week with the return of ArtWeek SouthCoast.
All aboard for the latest exciting iteration of the 10-day “celebration of creativity, culture, and community” that gets rolling Friday, May 8, through Sunday, May 17, with the festival’s largest lineup to date.
Hosted by the SouthCoast Community Foundation, ArtWeek SouthCoast spans 59 different venues across 12 cities and towns, and will feature nearly 100 events in an artistic exploration of southeastern Massachusetts.
“From longtime cultural anchors to emerging voices in new places, what you see this year is a cultural landscape that is vibrant, evolving, and deeply connected across communities,” stated Patti Rego, director of communications and community engagement for SouthCoast Community Foundation.
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Daily events include everything from hands-on workshops and live performances to open studios, art exhibitions, and family-friendly activities that allow locals and visitors to “experience the region’s creative energy in accessible, engaging ways,” according to Rego.
Among ArtWeek SouthCoast’s destinations is Fall River, where the arts community will be launching a total of 30 of their own memorable experiences for the 2026 tour.
Highlights of Fall River’s ArtWeek showing:
Shining a spotlight on public art
According to the Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition, the Spindle City will shine a light on local talent, literally, as Fall River Illuminated transforms the city’s murals and landmarks with dynamic new lighting.
The first installation debuts Friday, May 8, at the mural featuring a pattern of Portuguese azulejo tiles on the side of the former Herald News building at 207 Pocasset St., visible to all crossing into the city from Somerset on the Braga Bridge.
The mural titled “We Here” by Portuguese artist Diogo Machado, aka Add Fuel, was finished in 2022 and pays homage to Portuguese heritage. The mural will be lit up Friday at 8:45 p.m. All are welcome to attend the Illuminate Fall River celebration starting at Friday 8 p.m. at 200 Pocasset St. (the One SouthCoast Chamber building), where they can meet the community partners behind the project, listen to live music and watch the official lighting.
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The Fall River Illuminated project is just one part of a larger vision led by the Isosceles Alliance, a group dedicated to brightening the city’s hillsides, public art, and historic buildings, FRACC states.
“As we invest in projects like this, we’re not just illuminating artwork — we’re illuminating Fall River’s downtown beauty,” said Tracy Silva Barbosa, executive director of the Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition, co-collaborator on this project.
For details on this event, visit bit.ly/FRIlluminated.
Spindle City Arts Trolley
As the wheels turn on ArtWeek SouthCoast 2026, Fall River invites participants to hop aboard the Spindle City Arts Trolley to “experience Fall River’s creative spirit in motion,” FRACC states.
The free hop-on/hop-off trolley tour May 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will make stops at several Fall River galleries, studios, cultural spaces and eateries.
Destinations on this loop will include Heritage State Park’s visitor center, Fall River Carousel and Gathering Grounds cafe, Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River Museum of Contemporary Art, restaurants in the city’s downtown NoMA District, SoCo Art Labs, and the Greater Fall River Art Association.
Guests can meet local artists, see live demonstrations and exhibitions, enjoy local cuisine, and explore the city’s unique creative spaces at various trolley stops throughout the day.
For tickets to the Spindle City Arts Trolley or more information, visit bit.ly/SpindleCityArtsTrolley.
There are also events planned at the Fall River Public Library, Lizzie Borden House, Government Center, Lafayette-Durfee House, Little Theatre of Fall River Firebarn and more.
Explore arts and culture across Southeastern Massachusetts
The growing regional reach of the festival is evident in this year’s expanded lineup. Residents can explore the plethora of artistic offerings and venues within the city and beyond.
Participating communities also include Attleboro, Bridgewater, Brockton, Dartmouth, Easton, Fairhaven, Marion, New Bedford, Stoughton, Taunton, and Westport.
To help plan your ArtWeek SouthCoast experience, check out their full schedule of events at artweeksouthcoast.org.
History of ArtWeek SouthCoast
Launched in 2021 as SouthCoast SpringArts, ArtWeek SouthCoast is a regional continuation of ArtWeek MA, the former statewide arts celebration that ran through 2020. ArtWeek SouthCoast remains one of only two such festivals in Massachusetts.
Local organizations involved include AHA! New Bedford, Explore New Bedford, Fall River Arts & Culture Coalition, Marion Art Center, Midori Creativity, New Bedford Creative, Viva Fall River, and Westport Art Group.
