Arts programs
The arts are alive and well in Batesville. From fine art to theater to music and dance, residents are sure to find something that appeals to their creative sides.
The Batesville Area Arts Council sponsors many of the community’s artistic endeavors. A not-for-profit organization, BAAC was formed in 1988 to provide a unified voice for local community arts organizations, including ArtsIn-education, the Batesville Community Theatre and the Art Gallery on Main.
“Our mission is to enrich the lives of those living in Batesville and the surrounding area through the promotion of the arts and diverse cultural experiences,” said Colleen Jackson, BAAC executive director.
Jackson said the ar ts council has sponsored the Arts-in-education program since 1991, bringing nationally recognized artists to the Batesville and Southside school districts. “This program helps integrate the ar ts into the schools’ curriculum,” she said.
The Batesville Community Theatre is gearing up for its summer production of Disney’s
Beauty and the Beast. It will be presented at 7 p.m. July 26, at 1 and 7 p.m. July 27, at 7 p.m. July 28 and at 2 p.m. July 29 at the Batesville Auditorium on Water Street.
The community theater group presents three productions each year, as well as sponsoring touring productions and workshops.
The Art Gallery on Main, 246 E. Main St., was opened in 1998 and features the work of local, regional and national artists. In addition to exhibitions, Jackson said the gallery also hosts workshops for both adults and children, brings touring performance groups to town and hosts the Outdoor Summer Movie Series.
The BAAC will sponsor the Young Arkansas Artists Touring Exhibit through May 25 at the Art Gallery on Main. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no admission charge.
The Art Gallery also sponsors Art in the Afternoon, in which school children come into the gallery each Tuesday afternoon during the school year to make art, and the Friday Painters, which is made up of cancer survivors, caregivers and friends as a way to use art as therapy.
In addition to the art on display in the Art Gallery on Main, area ar tists’ works can be seen at Elizabeth’s Restaurant, the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce, the White River Medical Center, the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville and Citizens Bank’s main branch.
For those who love music, the Batesville Symphony League is dedicated to bringing symphonic music to the area.
“Our main responsibility is to support the volunteer Batesville Community Orchestra and to bring a professional-level orchestra into Batesville every year,” said Joel Plaag, president of the symphony league.“we present two concerts each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. We also sponsor a string camp for kids in the summer.”
Barbara Reeve directs the community orchestra, and Andrea Steward directs the North Arkansas Youth Orchestra, which is also supported by the Batesville Symphony League.
“Our goal with the youth orchestra is to put strings in the hands of children and let them make music,” Plaag said.
Plaag, who teaches music at Lyon College, said the symphony league will sponsor the Delta Symphony of Jonesboro in concert at 4 p.m. Oct. 28 in Brown Chapel at Lyon College. The public is invited to this concert, and there is no admission charge.
There is also a community choir, directed by Plaag, that meets at the First Presbyterian Church in Batesville.
Among the schools of dance in Batesville are the Fusion Dance Academy and the North Arkansas Dance Academy.
The Fusion Dance Academy, at 70 Batesville Blvd., offers a variety of dance classes for ages 3 and up, including an active summer program. The academy also sponsors competition teams. Owner Shani Kramer said the business will begin its fifth year in June.
The North Arkansas Dance Academy, at 206 E. Main St., offers dance classes for adults as well as children.the North Arkansas Dance Theatre is attached to the academy and is a nonprofit troupe of students from several counties. The dance theater performs
The Nutcracker each November. Owner Cindy Hubberd said a summer dance recital for all academy students is held as a fundraiser for the dance theater. The recital will be held at 7 p.m. June 1 and at 3:30 p.m. June 2 in Brown Chapel at Lyon College. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children 11 and under.
“All proceeds go to the company,” Hubberd said.