Centers of attraction
Art, music, theater flourish in venues around Arkansas.
When it comes to the arts, they’re on the front lines offering entertainment, enrichment and education. And very often, offering it for free.
The Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville get quite a bit of glory for their activities, but there are other, smaller arts centers around the state doing their parts to bring visual and performing arts to their communities.
Many arts centers take art off the wall, out of the galleries and into the communities, whether it’s school programs or regular downtown art walks. Some step outside and help facilitate arts-related projects for other organizations in addition to their own programs.
They also host touring and music and theatrical groups.
But they all face similar challenges, with lack of money being the recurring theme. Providing inexpensive, quality programming on a shoestring is a magic act they struggle with every year.
“It’s a common misconception that museums are federally funded,” says Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Executive Director Lee Ortega. “Though we receive grants, our main source of funding comes from foundation dollars, memberships and general donations.”
Each arts center we contacted said much the same thing. It’s a constant battle to raise enough money to keep offering free or low-cost exhibits and programming.
“That’s what we’re here for,” says Lenore Shoults, executive director at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas.
Arkansas River Valley Arts Center ,1001 E. B St ., Russell ville
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday
(479) 968-2452 or river valley arts center. Current exhibit: Works by Brenda Morgan through Feb. 28
Programs and services: Interim director Amy Whitlow says they have “a large umbrella,” offering art classes and workshops for all ages, including drawing classes for children and teens, collage, pottery and painting. During the summer, there are camps and programs for children.
The galleries host monthly exhibits, including annual college and high school shows and local artist invitationals. In performing arts, it puts on a large community production in the summer.
The center also co-sponsors the quarterly downtown art walk in Russellville (next one is March 4), help with other exhibits around town, including the Lake Dardanelle Visitors Center, and connects people and groups having art-related events.
Permanent collection: It is mostly donated pieces from local artists, but it’s “too diverse” to have a real focus, Whitlow says.
Biggest challenge: In addition to funding, the 35-year-old center works to stay relevant by staying in touch with the community.
Biggest reward: Whitlow says
the diversity of programming and the effect it has on people in the community are highlights of the center’s work.
Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., Pine Bluff
(870) 536-3375 or asc701. org
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday
Current exhibits: “Dinosaurs: Fossils Exposed” and “Bayou Bartholomew: In Focus” through April 22, “Resilience: Art From the Permanent Collection by African American Women,” through July 8, “Delta Rhythms: Works From the Permanent Collection” through April 29.
Programs and services: The center offers workshops and art classes for all ages and community theater performances.
A member of the Arkansas Discovery Network, the center has access to hands-on scienceand technology-based programs and equipment. Combining art and science in projects (such as using gallery art as a backdrop for stop-motion animation projects) is one way the ASC brings art to children.
Permanent collection: It is focused on Arkansas artists, art of the Delta and art by black artists. The pieces have been collected by purchase, donation and gifts from artists.
One of the center’s roles is to curate and research the center’s art and explore connections to the community. Executive Director Lenore Shoults says the center has a couple of pieces from the AfriCobra black art protest movement that began in the 1970s. The movement’s founder, Jeff Donaldson, was a Pine Bluff native.
Biggest challenge: Adequate funding.
Biggest reward: The integration of the arts and sciences in ways that are a big hit with children.
“The future is quite bright because the kids love getting in there with brushes and paints and they also love getting in there with LED lights and circuits and computer coding and stop-motion animation,” Shoults says.
The center has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 2001, one of seven museums in Arkansas to receive that distinction. The alliance’s comment was “The Arts & Science Center is an excellent example of a small, mighty museum serving its community with significant impact.”
South Arkansas Arts Center, 110 E. Fifth St., El Dorado
(870) 862-5474 or saac-arts. org
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Current exhibit: “It’s Out There,” Michelle Jones, through Feb. 27 and “Brotherhood: Jason Sacran and John P. Lasater IV” through March 29
Programs and services: The center offers community theater performances and regular art exhibitions and workshops. Children’s educational programming — including classes in ballet, drama, art, music and computer graphics — is fairly consistent each year.
“There’s a constant rotation of different things being offered for adults,” staff member Colleen Means says.
For theater, there are at least three community productions annually with occasional special productions.
Permanent collection: Pieces in the permanent collection were bought or donated. The bulk of the collection is made up of contemporary art bought by the center. Every year, the center hosts a national juried exhibition and buys one piece to add to its collection.
The center has a special exhibit every other year or so to showcase the permanent collection.
Biggest challenge: “Our limit is our facility,” Means says. “We’re kind of landlocked,” which limits the number and size of workshops and classes. The center has recently remodeled the art gallery with new lighting, walls and floors. A room to store the permanent collection has been added.
Center Director Beth James Burns says that there is also a challenge trying to meet the needs of a variety of social and economic groups in south Arkansas and a struggle to secure adequate financial resources.
“What the solution to rising expenses and shrinking income is, I don’t know, but we are committed to using every dollar wisely and doing the most good possible with very limited resources.”
Biggest reward: “The greatest reward in working in the arts is watching people … grow from being one-dimensional to multidimensional,” Burns says. “When people are exposed to and participate in artistic endeavors, they change and the change is real.”
Texarkana Regional Arts Center, 321 W. Fourth St., Texarkana (903) 792-8681 or trahc.org Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday
Current exhibit: “Regional Celebration of African American Artists Exhibit: Local Artists and Collectors,” through March 4; “For All the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights,” through March 16
Programs and services: The Texarkana Regional Arts Council oversees a variety of programs and organizations: the Regional Arts Center, the Perot Theatre, the Arts Smart education program (which helps teachers integrate art into the curriculum) and Arts on Main (teaching adults and children various skills from dancing and metalsmithing to painting).
The Perot Theatre presents touring theatrical productions and musical groups and has a series of shows for local and regional school groups. The art galleries host national touring exhibits and exhibitions of local and regional works, including annual juried exhibitions for students and adults.
Permanent collection: The FaEllen and Jim Yates Regional Arts Collection began in 2005 and consists solely of works by local and regional artists. Pieces have been bought or donated.
Biggest challenge: “It’s always funding,” says Executive Director Brian Goesl.
The arts council’s endowment is small and it’s trying to develop more revenue streams through renting the facilities and charging fees for some art classes. Goesl says the council has no debt and made it through the 2008 recession without layoffs. It also is working to start another endowment this year.
Biggest reward: “Touching the lives of over 40,000 schoolchildren a year,” Goesl says. “[And] changing the quality of life we have in this region and offering cultural opportunities.”
Fort Smith Regional Art Museum, 1601 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith
(479) 784-2787 or fsram. org
Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Current exhibit: “Liv Fjellsol: Art Says,” through April 2, “Heartbreak in Peanuts,” through April 16
Programs and services: The museum offers a series of traveling and in-house exhibits, free art classes, lectures and cultural partnerships.
Permanent collection: The collection of nearly 500 pieces including works by local and regional artists. Most have been acquired by donation, though some have been bought. The collection includes a 16th-century Prussian purse and a 3-foot-tall Mr. Peanut sculpture from 1918.
Biggest challenge: “To secure steady funding so we can continue to fulfill our mission,” says Executive Director Lee Ortega. “The museum is such an important asset to the community and region and our goal is to diversify our income by further educating and engaging local and regional companies who could contribute to their community on a much deeper level through supporting the museum.”
Biggest reward: Providing accessible, all-inclusive programming with free admission, Ortega says.
Arkadelphia Arts Center, 625 Main St., Arkadelphia
(870) 245-7982 or ccahc. org
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday
Current exhibit: “Arkansas Women to Watch: Organic Matters,” Wednesday-March 31
Permanent collection: “When we can build a climate-controlled room, we can begin to build one,” says Rita Earles, programs and marketing committee chair. Biggest challenge: funding. Programs and services: The center presents regular Art Days, art programs, workshops and exhibits and participates in the annual RoundAbout Artist Studio Tour in October.
Arts Center of the Ozarks, 214 Main St., Springdale
(479) 751-5441 or acozarks. org
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday
Current exhibit: “On the Brink, On the Brim, On the Cusp,” through March 26.
Permanent collection: “We have a few pieces by Pat Musick that were donated to us,” says Eve Smith, director of visual arts.
Programs and services: The arts center hosts regular exhibits and educational programs for all ages as well as theatrical productions and the Arts Center of the Ozarks Chorale.
Center for Art and Education, 104 N. 13th St., Van Buren
(479) 474-7767 or art-ed. org
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday
Current exhibit: “Reconstructing the Arkansas Landscape,” Jeannie Stone; “The Forest of Perception,” Virmarie DePoyster and Sean Fitzgibbon, through Saturday
Permanent collection: “Our collection consists of works by nationally known artists who have done workshops at the center,” says Executive Director Jane Owen.
Programs and services: The center offers art classes and workshops for adults and art camps and theater for children. There also are adult and student art competitions, lectures and an art library.