Norfolk Community Media is launching a new monthly event series this fall designed to bring local artists, musicians, creators and residents together.

The first First Friday: Music, Media & Art Showcase will take place Friday, Sept. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. at NCTV's Gallery & Meeting Space, 158 Main St. in downtown Norfolk. The event is free and open to all ages.

First Friday will be held on the first Friday evening of each month and will celebrate local art, music, media and community creativity. The events will bring together local artists, musicians, filmmakers, small business owners and other creators, giving residents an opportunity to discover their neighbors' talents and connect with one another.

The series is part of an effort to reintroduce NCTV to the community and encourage more residents to become involved.

NCTV's Board of Directors recently brought back former Station Manager Carl Pride for a limited time as Initiative Coordinator. Pride, who served as NCTV's first station manager from 1989 to 1994, said returning more than 30 years later feels like coming full circle.

"My role is to help reintroduce NCTV to the Norfolk community, get more people involved, and let people know what NCTV is here for," Pride said. "We want NCTV to be a place where people in the community can come to learn, create, share their stories, and connect with one another."

September's Featured Artist

Each First Friday will feature a different local artist whose work will be displayed in NCTV's new gallery. The featured artist for September is Margaret "Peg" L. Munson, whose colorful work focuses on the natural world.

Munson began pursuing art after retiring from nursing in 2008. She started with watercolor and oil painting before experimenting with stained glass, eventually showing her designs in galleries across New England. Her creative pursuits have also included acrylic paint pouring and quilting.

Twelve years ago, Munson attended a soft pastel demonstration at the Franklin Art Association and discovered what would become her primary medium. Drawn to the vivid colors, she spent the next two years attending classes and workshops to learn more about working with pastels.

Today, Munson photographs landscapes, waterscapes and other scenes that inspire her and brings the images back to her studio, where she recreates them in soft pastels.

Her artwork will be on display during the Sept. 4 event.

More Than Television

For nearly four decades, NCTV has served Norfolk as a nonprofit community media organization, providing local public, educational and government programming. It also offers residents free educational programs, workshops and access to equipment for media production and relies on community participation and volunteers to help fulfill its mission.

First Friday expands that mission beyond traditional television and media production by providing a physical space where community members can gather and share their work.

Future events are expected to feature a variety of local art, live music, media and film, as well as participation from artisans, community organizations and small businesses.

The idea behind the series is summed up in three words: Celebrate. Support. Create.

For Pride, returning to NCTV is an opportunity to help build on the organization he was part of more than three decades ago.

"This is not my full-time job, but I came back because I really believe in the mission and what NCTV can be for the community," he said.