When you read the words "Buffalo, New York," cutting edge art probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, Buffalo cliches and tired jokes have long overshadowed the city’s art community – a center of artistic experimentation that has played a role in major art movements of this and the last century.

The Elmwood Gallery District is holding its second annual Spring Open Studios and Galleries from May 2 through May 4. This is a rare opportunity to enter into the artists’ studios and homes that dot the area to meet and talk with the creative individuals who live and work in the community.

The Elmwood Gallery District comprises portions of Allentown, the Elmwood Village and the near West Side, from the Burchfield-Penney Arts Center to the north and Allen Street to the south. More than 80 artists are participating in this spring’s event.

Buffalo’s art scene was described by AmericanStyle Magazine as having "an avant-garde spirit in a non-pretentious environment." No better description could be found of the Elmwood Gallery District. Enjoy a walk through the District and afterwards stop to shop and relax in the antique shops, boutiques and bistros of Elmwood Avenue.

Maps of the participating studios and galleries will be available at www.foreverelmwood.org.