Fine Arts Center to close
The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs, 626 Central Ave., announced Thursday that it has lost its lease on its gallery and will close its doors on Oct. 1 after 69 years of operation.
The nonprofit FAC, which began at Whittington and Park avenues, has served the community since 1947, a news release said.
After moving to Central Avenue, the center provided programming to the art-loving public on Gallery Walk evenings with ever-changing exhibits of Hot Springs artists’ works of fine art, it said.
Programs including Art on the Corner, held for several years at Spencer’s Corner, “gave the public the opportunity to participate in art activities downtown,” the release said.
The FAC, in association with the Hot Springs Farmers & Artisans Market, provided music programs and artisan booths to the public on Saturday mornings.
The FAC also scheduled the musicians that perform in Adair Faire Park in support of the Hot Springs Parks and Recreation Department.
“Yearly exhibits such as the Annual Photography Exhibit and the International Diamond Exhibit have brought artists from across the country and around the world to Hot Springs,” the release said.
“Shows such as ‘Still Life,’ ‘Self-Portrait,’ ‘Civil War Songs’ and ‘Letters, and Color, Line, & Form’ provided a venue for the community to view the-
matic exhibits and encouraged local artists to create new works of art,” the release said.
A Short Story contest resulted in three printed books with the winning stories illustrated by local artists.
The FAC has hosted with Hot Springs’ Japanese sister city, Hanamaki, and welcomed poets and artists during a week of celebration.
Programs and workshops at the FAC have included watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastel, Ikebana, fiber groups, ceramics, music, lectures, and book signings.
The release said the upcoming “MACROS & Minis Art Exhibition” will open at the Garland County Library Oct. 7 and run through Nov. 26. It is an exhibit of large paintings that are more than 3 feet tall, with miniature paintings smaller than 8 inches tall.
“The Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs appreciates all of its members, foundations, and the Hot Springs art community for helping us with our mission of bringing inspiring art experiences to the public through the years. The FAC has helped make art a part of the Hot Springs citizens and visitors’ life,” the release said.
The release said the public can call Donna Dunnahoe at 624-0489 or email info@fac.org for more information about how to assist the FAC on its next move through donations or provide venues to continue its art programs.