PROFILES IN THE ARTS
Words Dwain Hebda | Image iStock/maksicfoto | Sponsored Content
PROFILES IN THE ARTS
Words Dwain Hebda | Image iStock/maksicfoto | Sponsored Content
Access to artistic endeavors, in all of their diverse forms, is the cornerstone of a thriving community. While business, history, and commerce recount the tangible evolution of a place, the arts reveal its soul and the creative impulses that define its people.
Fort Smith is often underestimated for its artistic offerings, but nothing could be further from the truth. From public art installations and galleries to concerts, exhibits, and creative workshops, Fort Smith consistently exceeds expectations and punches well above its weight class.
Fort Smith’s Community School of the Arts and the Institute for the Creative Arts cultivate the next generation of visionaries, empowering young artists to transform their inspirations into reality. Public art initiatives like The Unexpected and Main Street Fort Smith set a high standard in Arkansas, drawing tourists and inspiring communities across the state.
Creative spaces like the Cre8ive Arts Network are vital to Fort Smith’s vibrant arts scene, providing local artists, students, and creators of all ages a place to explore and hone their skills in painting, pottery, and more. Located on Buckhorn Street, this studio serves as an incubator for artistic growth, where passion meets craft, inviting the community to dive deeper into hands-on creative pursuits
Galleries abound in Fort Smith, beginning with the beloved Fort Smith Regional Arts Museum, which exposes locals and visitors alike to beautiful, thought-provoking works. Higher education institutions like the ACHE Art Gallery and
University of Arkansas – Fort Smith’s Wingate Gallery of Art and Design further support the arts community, doubling as educational centers for artists of all ages. Complementing these are private galleries such as Arts on Main in Van Buren, offering a well-rounded experience for art enthusiasts.
For those drawn to music and performance, Fort Smith offers top-tier live arts programs, including the Stacey Jones Season of Entertainment at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. This series brings a diverse array of performances to the stage, from classical music to modern theater, furthering Fort Smith’s commitment to a culturally rich community. Premier groups like the Fort Smith Symphony and Western Arkansas Ballet, along with renowned venues such as the Skokos Performing Arts Center, ArcBest Performing Arts Center, and the historic King Opera House in Van Buren, enrich the cultural fabric of the region. For those eager to take the stage, the Fort Smith Little Theatre provides a welcoming space for community-driven productions.
And the cultural experience doesn’t stop there.
The U.S. Marshals Museum and Fort Smith Museum of History add distinct layers to the city’s arts landscape, while nearby venues like the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville further enhance the region’s appeal.
As you turn the page, immerse yourself in our community’s vibrant arts scene. Each contributes a unique voice and vision, weaving together a rich cultural tapestry that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Whatever stirs your soul, you’ll find it here.
ACHE Research Institute Health & Wellness Center
Art installations might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about a medical school, yet they’ve found a home at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) through the Research Institute Health & Wellness Center (RIHWC).
The center is part of the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, a Fort Smithbased institution committed to educating and training a diverse group of highly competent and compassionate health care professionals, creating health and research support facilities, and to providing healthy living environments to improve the lives of others.
A unique facility, RIHWC opened in 2022, and offers both permanent and rotating art exhibits and serves as a venue for public art and wellness programming, workshops, and special events open to community members of all ages. Some of the exhibits also allow artists to display and sell their works, says Janice Scaggs, special events and building coordinator.
“We have two galleries open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” shares Janice. “The East Gallery features various artists whose works, curated from Justus Fine Art Gallery in Hot Springs, rotate semi-annually. The West Gallery currently showcases pieces from eight local artists, and many are available for purchase.”
Originally intended as a way to reduce student stress, the RIHWC art program has blossomed into a vibrant wellness resource for the community. “Medical school is intense, and our art spaces offer students, staff, and faculty a calming place for reflection,” Janice explains. “But beyond that, we aim to promote health and wellness in the broader community through art, from exhibits to public classes.”
The RIHWC hosts a variety of classes, from ceramics to cooking, and houses a fitness center offering yoga, barre, ballet, strength training, and specialized sessions for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and children with special needs. “There’s really something for everyone here,” Janice notes, underscoring ACHE’s mission to provide wellness to its students, staff, and community.
The center also features an event center with a maker space, banquet hall, and ballroom, making it a popular choice for private events, including weddings, nonprofit fundraisers, and galas. Janice adds, “We recently hosted Art on the Border, a large annual event with over eighty artists displaying and selling their work throughout our space. It’s just one of the many ways ACHE serves as a hub for community art and wellness.”
COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
The Community School of the Arts serves the Fort Smith Community and surrounding region by providing high-quality instruction delivered by top professionals in music, theatre, dance, and visual art. Children, youth, and adults can participate in after-school, evening, and weekend classes and lessons.
With artistic excellence at the core of all they do, their programs and activities meet the needs and interests of all students. Participation in the arts can improve academic performance, lower dropout rates, develop skills like problem solving and communication, build self-esteem, and more.
Founded in 2016, CSA recently moved into a new facility on the Fort Smith Riverfront. This facility, the Center for Creative Arts, houses CSA and a new arts high school, Institute for the Creative Arts. CSA’s Executive Director, Dr. Rosilee Russell, is the founder of this new charter high school. Both organizations aim to support local art students.
CSA currently offers private lessons in piano, violin, trumpet, drums and vocals. Spring programs and camps are right around the corner and registration is open now! Follow along on social media @csafortsmith or visit their website at csafortsmith.org.
The Center for the Creative Arts is a new riverfront facility in Fort Smith. Sitting behind the United States Marshals Museum on the Arkansas River, the new fine arts facility houses Community School of the Arts and the Institute for the Creative Arts. Both organizations focus on the arts. But what are their differences?
ICA is a fine arts public charter high school. Students can study tuition free as Arkansas residents. Half of the school day is spent in arts classes of their choosing while the other half is spent working toward graduating with their high school diploma. School began this fall with grades 9-11 and is open for enrollment year round. Graphic design, dance, theatre, music and more will be offered. Artist teachers have been hired from across the country.
CSA serves the community as an afterschool arts program by offering arts classes, lessons, and camps to all age groups during after school hours and in the summer. Play an instrument, join a theatre production, paint, or attend a summer camp. Professional instructors meet the needs and interests of all students, including adults. Both organizations offer public shows and performances throughout the year.
Tours of this facility are available to the public. Call today!
For more information on ICA: icafortsmith.org | 479-434-2114
For more information on CSA: csafortsmith.org | 479-434-2020
FORT SMITH SYMPHONY
Now entering its one hundred first season, the Fort Smith Symphony is the oldest symphony in Arkansas and has played to thousands upon thousands of music lovers over its long and colorful history.
However, many people still have an outdated image of what the organization does and what it plays, says John Jeter, music director and conductor.
“If there’s one thing I would want someone to know about the Fort Smith Symphony, it is that we perform a lot of different types of music,” he says. “I’m not apologetic about classical music, but the reality is classical music is actually in the minority in terms of the amount of music we perform.
“We do the famous composers, of course, but we also do holiday music, we do a lot of film music, a lot of symphonic jazz and rock.” John, who has been with the orchestra for twenty-seven years,
says engaging in diverse musical genres is one reason why the group has been going strong for over ten decades and counting. “This community has always had a strong affinity for live music,” he says. “And Fort Smith has always appreciated what the orchestra has done as far as bringing live music across all genres.
“We also have a unique situation in the state of being an orchestra that has a relationship with a major recording label. We’ve made several very successful commercial recordings, and that’s helped really spread the Fort Smith brand, if you will, all over the world.”
In addition to performance, the symphony hosts music education programs that reach an average of six thousand students per year. “The education component is the most important thing that we do,” John says. “There is plenty of research that shows students who are engaged in the arts are more successful academically and more well-rounded overall. So, education is something we truly love and are committed to as an organization.”
MAIN STREET FORT SMITH
Downtown Fort Smith offers a unique, immersive arts experience, anchored by The Unexpected, a public art project that has turned the city into an outdoor gallery. Since its launch, The Unexpected has introduced over forty-five large-scale artworks by internationally renowned artists, adding vibrant color and culture to historic downtown Fort Smith. This initiative not only enhances the city aesthetically but also builds community pride, encouraging daily interactions with art.
Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour of the murals, each telling a story and offering a fresh layer to the city’s identity. Themes range from
social issues to playful, abstract designs, making the artworks accessible for all ages.
Beyond the art, Fort Smith’s cultural scene shines. Levitt Amp Fort Smith hosts ten free concerts annually at the scenic Riverfront Amphitheatre along the Arkansas River, with the 2025 series announced in the spring.
Main Street Fort Smith also celebrates Small Business Saturday with events like the Cocoa Crawl, inviting people to explore downtown shops and attractions with seasonal hot chocolate. Together, these activities make downtown Fort Smith a lively destination for art, music, and community gatherings year-round.
Main Street Fort Smith is a nonprofit organization committed to creating vibrant spaces in downtown Fort Smith through business development, arts and culture, special events, and the promotion of attractive amenities. We are dedicated to preserving the rich heritage of downtown Fort Smith while driving towards a vibrant future.
Main Street Fort Smith mainstreetfs.org @mainstreetfortsmith
Fort Smith Little Theatre
Small stage. Big performances.
FSLT is an all-volunteer organization and the oldest community theatre in the state. From comedies to dramas and musicals to mysteries, more than 60 shows are performed annually in downtown Fort Smith. Backstage, under the lights, or in the audience — come join the fun!
Next Up, A Hall & Mark Christmas, Dec. 12-14
Reminder: Gift certificates and season packages make the perfect present!
Dedicated to Fine Arts formation in a non-competitive atmosphere through quality dance education, training, and performance since
Academy Class Registration open through January 31, 2025. Ages 4 – Adult. Scholarships available.
39th annual production of The Nutcracker, Dec. 21, 7p & Dec. 22, 2p. Tickets on sale now.
SKOKOS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Built in 2002, the Alma Performing Arts Center is a vibrant hub for the arts in Alma and surrounding communities. In 2022, a generous $1 million donation from the Skokos Foundation led to the renaming of the state-ofthe-art facility. Today, they continue their commitment of bringing exceptional arts experiences to the River Valley – including dance, drama, live music, children’s theater, Broadway productions, and more.
In addition to the Professional Season of Entertainment, the facility is also home to the Alma School District’s Fine Arts programming, which has achieved both state and national recognition. Net proceeds from the
ticket sales go to the Alma Education and Arts Foundation, providing over $1.5 million in scholarships to date for graduating seniors. They also proudly host community events in Crawford County; rentals are available as the entertainment calendar allows.
The David Woolly Performance Hall seats up to 1,500, and their black box theater offers flexible seating. Amenities include a visual arts gallery, green room, kitchen, dressing rooms, laundry room, build shop, costume shop, box office, and staff offices.
The Skokos Performing Arts Center is your ticket to the River Valley's finest in arts and entertainment!
Your Ticket to the River Valley’s Finest in Performing Arts.
UAFS GALLERY OF ART AND DESIGN
The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Gallery of Art and Design is a museum of contemporary art with an aim to challenge expectations, encourage discussion, and expand ideas about art and culture.
Highlighting innovative practices by regional, national, and international artists, they also host temporary exhibitions that examine new directions by regional emerging and professional artists.
Housed in the Windgate Art and Design building, the museum is free and open to the public, and visitors of all ages are encouraged. Works on display include paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, ceramics, and
book arts as well as fiber, video, and mixed media art.
All are included in the refreshing new installation and ongoing exhibit of the permanent collection, Framing/ Reframing. This thematic and interactive exhibit gives a new look to the gallery and offers different ways of thinking about the collection. It is also an exciting choose-your-ownadventure kind of exhibition, in which visitors are invited to create their own narratives, interpretations, and thematic connections!
Visit them at uafs.edu/gallery, follow along on Facebook and Instagram, or email art.gallery@uafs.edu to join their newsletter!
WALTON ARTS CENTER AND THE WALMART AMP
Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP bring great performing artists and entertainers from around the world to Northwest Arkansas, connecting and engaging people within our state and our region through inspiring arts experiences. They are the state’s largest and busiest performing art presenters. Annually more than 240 performances are presented in Walton Arts Center venues with ticket sales of more than 400,000.
On their stages, audiences enjoy a diverse array of arts experiences, the likes of which are typically only found in major U.S. cities. They present
everything from touring Broadway to dance, comedy, orchestral and live music performances by artists from around the globe – often featuring Arkansas premieres and launching national tours.
As a non-profit organization, the revenues from their programming at Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP support learning and education programs that ensure that the arts remain an essential part of the lives of students, teachers and families in our region. Art education programming serves on average 32,500 students, teachers and citizens statewide annually.
