Arkansans for the Arts, the statewide arts advocacy nonprofit organization, continues a four-city tour of town hall meetings at 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Friday, July 26, at The Medium at 214 S. Main St. in Springdale. The tour is meant to bring together arts communities and build support for arts advocacy at the local level. 

The Northwest Arkansas conversation will focus on workforce housing for artists, creatives and arts workers who make their home and practice in the region.

The event is free with required registration open now Eventbrite or by contacting Executive Director Mariah Hatta at mariah@arkansansforthearts.org. 

Conversation leaders will be public policy makers, experts in planning and housing, artists, creatives, arts workers, nonprofit organizations and others active in their communities in NWA including:

Carris Adams, Mid-America Arts Alliance
Johanna Sheehan Bell, City of Fayetteville
Jill Dabbs, Downtown Springdale Alliance
Former Representative Dan Douglas
Representative Denise Garner
Brittany Johnson, CACHE
Jean Lacefield, Arkansans for the Arts
Mary Madden, Madden Planning
Duke McLarty, NWA Council/Groundwork
Kelli Miles, Artspace Consulting
Ben Rhoads, City of Siloam Springs
Spade Robinson, Producer, Writer and Director

The event in Springdale is in partnership with CACHE and The Medium. The arts town hall series is produced and presented by Arkansans for the Arts and is made possible by an investment from the Mid-America Arts Alliance.

“We are excited to be in Springdale and Northwest Arkansas as Arkansans for the Arts continues the 2024 town hall meeting tour. This week’s roster features regional leaders who will facilitate an interactive conversation on workforce housing within the creative economy,” said Jean Lacefield, board chairperson for Arkansans for the Arts.

“Listening directly to communities, bringing together nonprofit organizations, creatives and artists with civic leaders and sharing how to advocate for arts and culture is essential in building ecosystems that support all aspects of the creative economy.”

The July 26 arts town hall includes lunch and a tour of The Medium, CACHE’s downtown Springdale venue and hub. 

Since 2020 CACHE has provided accessible studio, rehearsal, performance and exhibition space to Northwest Arkansas creatives and creative organizations through The Medium.

Arkansans for the Arts’ three and a half-hour event will focus on housing issues in the region as they impact artists, creatives and arts workers. The affected counties discussed for NWA will include Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Washington County. 

Arts Council Districts differ from state legislative districts. Arkansans for the Arts is organized on this statewide model for geographical representation. The district map mirrors the eight Planning and Development districts, and are outlined at arkansansforthesarts.org.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn how they can advocate for the arts with other artists, creatives and art workers, educators, and community and civic leaders. 

In addition to the policy conversation, there will be a community building exercise that is designed for all participants to network and share their reflections on the earlier session. All in attendance are requested to bring an example, image and/or video of their art or work to share with other attendees. 

Following the town hall event, guests are invited to join CACHE’s Social Hour for Visual Arts Professionals at ARt de CENTRALe located at 117 W. Emma Ave. in Springdale. To attend this social, RSVP via TicketTailor.

The 2024 Arkansans for the Arts Town Hall tour includes future events in Jonesboro and Conway. Times and places are to be announced. In April, the tour kicked off in Pine Bluff at ARTSpace on Main on the ARTx3 Campus. For more information, sign up for updates at arkansansforthearts.org.