September ushers in the new arts seasons, and that includes visual art. This month’s IDADA First Friday, Sept. 5, 6-9 p.m. will be a huge event, with many galleries preparing for the new season. Plus, the Massachusetts Avenue Fall Gallery Walk coincides with the monthly IDADA event. Mass. Ave. will be showing off the avenue with exhibitions of original artwork, shopping, restaurants and nightclubs opening their doors from 5-9 p.m. Here are just some of the highlights. Go to www.idada.org or www.discovermassave.com for a comprehensive list of galleries and maps.

• John April combines text, visual elements, physical space and documentation of the creative process in the form of thought-provoking installations and performance projects. the mirrors project incorporates text fragments from a collection of writing produced by April on a daily basis over a 20-year period. The text is transferred on to a wall covered in old mirrors. You can experience April’s work at AV Framing Gallery, 1139 Shelby St. in Fountain Square, Friday during an artist’s reception from 5-9 p.m. Call 317-356-3776 or go to www.avframinggallery.com for more information.

• David Mattingly has had a distinguished career as a gallery impresario — first with Galerie Penumbra and now with Hidden Noise, both in the Murphy Arts Center — but he is also an accomplished visual artist. His latest show, Le Chat Noir, opens from 7-10 p.m. at Hidden Noise, Suite 207 in the Murphy Arts Building, 1043 Virginia Ave. Call 317-508-8043 for more information.

• Big Car Gallery will feature the Art Hospital’s Transport Exhibition from 6 p.m.-midnight. The show features painting, sculpture, live musical scores, video projection and fashion design by nine members of the Bloomington-based Art Hospital collective. Music begins at 8 p.m. with multiple musical scores by Joe Molinaro featuring one with the Good Hands Team. Bands start at 10 p.m. with Wee Giant playing a short set to a video projection followed by Beyond Things. This month’s music show is the official IDADA after party. Big Car Gallery is also in the Murphy, Suite 215. Info: 317-450-6630 or www.bigcar.org.

• The Harrison Center for the Arts always throws a good bash for their First Friday openings, and this one is no exception. Urban Times opens from 6 to 10 p.m. The Gallery will feature sculpture by Lori Miles and Indianapolis urban-themed photography by Craig McCormick. Gallery No. 2 will feature Stop, Watch, a video piece by Jim Walker that takes patient, static looks at several unconventionally scenic locations in the city, and Hank & Dolly’s Gallery will feature Mark Pack — Painting Specimens. In the courtyard, Great Ideas public art project winners will create their public art project “Light the Way” with the community’s help. One hundred 55-gallon drums will be transformed into luminaries during the evening event. Throughout the building, see work that celebrates the impact of Urban Times, a downtown newsletter. In the gym, residential and commercial information about downtown neighborhoods, schools, real estate and more will be available. Also that night, 21 open artist studios, live music, social justice and much more. The Harrison is located at 1505 N. Delaware St. Info at 317-396-3886 or www.harrisoncenter.org.

• Friday, wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE will host the opening of the exhibit Earth Poems, a series of new artwork by Wug Laku. Using simple manipulations and enhancements of nature photographs, these images provoke thought and conversations about the relevance and relationships between nature and written language. The gallery is located at 1125 Brookside Ave., Suite C7. Info: wuglaku@netzero.net or call 317-270-8258.