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Aesthetic Abundance
Art Enthusiasts Revel in Arkansas's Cultural Offerings
Distinctly beautiful, the regions of Arkansas inspire local artists, whose stimulating works can be found in galleries and museums throughout the state, while local orchestras delight listeners with crisp, soul stirring melodies. Performance art thrives on the stages of community theaters that feature local and national talent, and many centers and museums also offer classes on a variety of mediums for children and adults.
Central Arkansas
ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER
MacArthur Park
Ninth and Commerce streets
Little Rock/(501) 372-4000
www.arkarts.com
Located in historic MacArthur Park, the Arkansas Arts Center features an acclaimed collection of unique works on paper, primarily European and American, from the Renaissance to the present. Also located at the center are Best Impressions Restaurant, the Museum Shop, the Children’s Theatre and the Museum School. Admission is free. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
ARKANSAS REPERTORY THEATRE
601 Main St.
Little Rock/(501) 378-0405
www.therep.org
The Rep's performances are held in a restored building at the corner of Sixth and Main streets in downtown Little Rock. The 2008 season includes "Barefoot in the Park," "Hello, Dolly!" "Doubt," "Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure" and "Fire on the Mountain." Show times are 7 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $18-$35, and group rates are available. Call for reservations.
ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
2417 N. Tyler St.
Little Rock/(501) 666-1761
www.arkansassymphony.org
The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performs more than 30 concerts at Robinson Center Music Hall each year, including the Stella Boyle Smith Masterworks Series, the Acxiom Pops Live Series, and the River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series, as well as numerous special events including The Masters and Acxiom SuperPops. Other ASO activities include its resident string quartets, the ASO Arts Partners and the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestras.
MURRY’S DINNER PLAYHOUSE
6323 Colonel Glenn Road
Little Rock/(501) 562-3131
www.murrysdinnerplayhouse.com
Murry's Dinner Playhouse offers an all-you-can-eat buffet and a full season of Broadway's best comedies and musicals. Shows nightly, excluding Monday, and a matinee on Sunday. Ticket prices are $26-$30.
THE WEEKEND THEATER
Seventh and Chester streets
Little Rock/(501) 374-3761
www.weekendtheater.org
The Weekend Theater, a theatrical company, is located in a remodeled building in downtown Little Rock with loft apartments upstairs and a pizza joint and microbrewery across the street. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The Weekend Theater is a nonsmoking facility. Tickets are $14-$18.
WILDWOOD PARK FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
20919 Denny Road
Little Rock/(501) 821-7275
www.wildwoodpark.org
Wildwood Park for the Performing Arts is the largest park dedicated to the performing arts in the South. The annual Wildwood Festival in June features opera, jazz, cabaret, blues, gospel, big band, dance and literary artists who perform in the Lucy Lockett Cabe Festival Theatre.
The Delta
ARKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AND FINE ARTS CENTER
Jonesboro/(870) 972-2074
http://museum.astate.edu
The ASU Museum features exhibits on the natural history and cultural heritage of the Mississippi River Delta region. The College of Fine Arts features music and theater performances throughout the year.
THE FORUM
115 E. Monroe St.
Jonesboro/(870) 935-2726
www.jonesborochamber.com
The Forum is Jonesboro’s civic auditorium that hosts concerts, plays, seminars, pageants, town meetings and more.
The Ouachitas
The Fine Arts Center
of Hot Springs
610-A Central Ave.
Hot Springs/(501) 624-0489
www.hsfac.com
The Fine Arts Center showcases the work of local artists in its gallery, with the works ranging from watercolors and pottery to oil painting and glass. The center also holds a variety of community workshops for artists.
Pocket Theatre
170 Ravine St.
Hot Springs/(501) 623-8585
www.pockettheatre.com
This nonprofit, volunteer-based community theater produces four to five plays each year, plus a summer workshop for children. Shows for 2007 included "On Golden Pond" and "A Christmas Story."
Mena Depot Center
524 Sherwood
Mena/( 479) 394-2912
www.gomenaarkansas.com/attractions.asp
This restored train depot now serves as a museum highlighting the history of Mena and the surrounding area. The depot, restored in 1987, is home to a 1939 Dodge police car in addition to artwork and memorabilia.
The Ozarks
ARTS CENTER OF THE OZARKS
214 S. Main St.
Springdale/(479) 751-5441
www.artscenteroftheozarks.org
The Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale offers a full year of productions from musicals and dramas to art exhibitions and concerts by the ACO. Classes are also available for children and adults.
CENTER FOR ART & EDUCATION
104 N. 13th St.
Van Buren/(479) 474-7767
www.art-ed.org
Housed in the historic St. Michael’s Catholic Church, the Center for Art and Education offers workshops, gallery exhibits and special events.
GREAT PASSION PLAY
Eureka Springs/(866) 566-3565
www.greatpassionplay.com
The Great Passion Play takes visitors back 2,000 years to the final days of Jesus Christ’s walk on earth. The play is open from April through the last Saturday in October.
NORTH ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Fayetteville/(479) 521-4166
www.nasymphony.org
The orchestra produces a series of masterworks, as well as pops and family concerts presented between October and May in Baum Walker Hall at the Walton Arts Center and Arend Arts center in Bentonville. Concert tickets are available from the Walton Arts Center box office at (479) 443-5600.
OPERA IN THE OZARKS
Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony
16311 Hwy. 62 W.
Eureka Springs/(479) 253-8595
www.opera.org
Recognized as one of the top five opera festivals in the world, Opera in the Ozarks stages more than 25 performances featuring fabulous young artists each summer (June-July). Many alumni sing in the leading opera houses worldwide.
ROGERS LITTLE THEATER
116 S. Second St.
Rogers/(479) 631-8988
www.rogerslittletheater.com
Housed in the historic Victory Theater, The Rogers Little Theater features main stage performances, concerts, children’s productions, special events and more.
SAGER CREEK ARTS CENTER
301 E. Twin Springs
Siloam Springs/(479) 524-4000
www.sagercreekartscenter.com
This center stages numerous community theater productions, including musicals and dinner theater shows. Art exhibitions, workshops and concerts are also offered.
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FINE ARTS CENTER GALLERY
116 Fine Arts Center
Fayetteville/(479) 575-5202
http://art.uark.edu
The University of Arkansas Fine Arts Center features exhibitions of art by local, regional and student artists throughout the year.
WALTON ARTS CENTER
495 W. Dickson St.
Fayetteville/(479) 443-5600
www.waltonartscenter.org
The Walton Arts Center features a performing arts auditorium, an amphitheater, an exhibition space and a community learning center. Adult and children’s classes in subjects such as sculpture, photography, painting, drawing, dance and theater arts are offered.
River Valley
ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY ARTS CENTER
1001 E. B St.
Russellville/(479) 968-2452
www.arvartscenter.org
The Arkansas River Valley Arts Center offers art exhibitions, educational programs and concerts. The center also sponsors artistic and cultural events throughout the area.
VAUGHN-SCHAAP HOUSE/FORT SMITH ARTS CENTER
423 N. Sixth St.
Fort Smith/(479) 784-2787
www.ftsartcenter.com
Located in the 1879 Vaughn-Schaap Home in Belle Grove Historic District, the Fort Smith Arts Center showcases the work of local and regional artists in revolving exhibits and competitions. The art center's Gift Gallery offers original paintings, sculptures, jewelry and hand-thrown pottery.
Timberlands
ARKANSAS ENTERTAINERS HALL OF FAME
Pine Bluff Convention Center
1 Convention Center Plaza
Pine Bluff/(870) 536-7600
www.pinebluffonline.com
Trace the careers of some of Arkansas’s best-known performers at the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. Memorabilia includes items owned by Al Green, Levon Helm, Billy Bob Thornton, Jerry Van Dyke and other famous Arkansans.
ARTS AND SCIENCE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
701 Main St.
Pine Bluff/(870) 536-3375
www.pinebluffonline.com
This 22,000-SF facility offers three art galleries, a science gallery, a theater and a studio classroom.
PEROT THEATRE
221 Main St.
Texarkana/(903) 792-4992
www.trahc.org/perot.htm
Opened in 1924, the theater was fully restored to Italian Renaissance opulence in 1981 with assistance from native son H. Ross Perot and sister Bette. The theatre provides world-class theatre, symphony, concert and dance performances.
SOUTH ARKANSAS ARTS CENTER
110 E. Fifth St.
El Dorado/(870) 862-5474
www.saac-arts.org
The South Arkansas Arts Center houses a 206-seat auditorium, three visual arts galleries and more. Classes are provided for children and adults in visual arts, photography, drama, ballet and music. Touring shows and community plays are performed each year.
TEXARKANA REGIONAL ARTS CENTER
321 W. Fourth St.
Texarkana/(903) 792-8681
www.trahc.org/rac.htm
The center features a 12-month schedule of touring exhibitions and locally organized exhibits.
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