Stamford Chamber of Trade and Commerce organised the Art on Friday exhibition in a bid to attract more people to the revamped Red Lion Square.
Shoppers browsed the work of 10 artists on display and also took time to sit down and enjoy the sounds of Happy Jazz.
The chamber, working with Stamford Town Council, Stamford Town Partnership and St John's Church, is making the event weekly .
Chamber president Tim Lee, of Christ Church Close, Stamford, said: "I am very pleased. We have had a good showing from the artists and lots of people were in the square looking at the work. .
"When the artists started showing up, people stopped and we have got more than 30 other artists who are interested."
One of the artists displaying their work in the square on Friday was Vanda Richards, 50, of Creeton Road, Little Bytham.
She said: "It will bring a lot of life down here. It is nice to make use of the square, which has a lovely backdrop of the old buildings and the churches."
The exhibition was also given the thumbs up by some of the people milling around in the square. Alfred Edwards, 76, of Clare Close, Stamford, feels that the event brought more life into the square.
He said: "You couldn't have had it here before as it was full of cars and today the market would have been here."
Artist John Paige, 80, of West Street, King's Cliffe, feels the event is a good idea.
He said: "It is a good opportunity for artists to show their stuff and it works else where, you only have to look at Bayswater Street in London."
Any artists wishing to exhibit should call Sandra Pryor on 07932 490492 or
e-mail secretary@stamfordchamber.co.uk