LITTLE ROCK — There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the art scene in Arkansas.
Friday nights are especially ripe with possibilities.
FIRST FRIDAY
On the first Friday every month, the art galleries in downtown Hot Springs (most are on Central Avenue) stay open late, 5-9 p.m. Seek out a copy of the gallery guide brochure at participating galleries or the Hot Springs Visitor Center at 629 Central Ave.
SECOND FRIDAY
The art galleries in downtown Little Rock team up with area museums and businesses and stay open late for 2nd Friday Art Night, 5-8 p.m. on the second Friday every month.
THIRD FRIDAY
In North Little Rock’s downtown district, the Argenta Art Walk is from 5:30-8 p.m. on the third Friday of each month. Also, check with local galleries in your area and ask to be placed on their e-mail and mailing lists for opening receptions and special shows.
MORE IN STORE
Various art fairs and festivals are held throughout the state, including:
Thea Arts Festival on Main Street between Broadway and Sixth Street in North Little Rock. This year it will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on April 27. For more information, see theafoundation.org or call (501) 379-9512.
AT THE ARTS CENTER
One of the most anticipated exhibits in Arkansas each year is the Arkansas Arts Center’s Delta Exhibit. This year, the 55th Annual Delta Exhibition begins Friday and runs through March 10. It is a juried show consisting of work by artists who live in or were born in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas.
A reception and lecture by Monica Bowman, exhibit juror, opens this year’s exhibition at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $5; entrance is free for Arts Center members. The members’ preview party is from 6-8 p.m. the same evening in the center’s Alice Pratt Brown Atrium, with music, cocktails and Southern cuisine.
The Art Center’s annual Collectors Show and Sale is held each December. In 2012, the show represented 28 New York galleries with 184 pieces ranging in price from $400 to $150,000. At press time dates for the 2013 event were not set. See arkarts.com or call (501) 372-4000 for details.
MORE DELTA ART
The fifth Annual Delta Visual Arts Show in Newport is 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 23. With 140 artists with ties to the Arkansas Delta, organizers say, it’s a great opportunity to discover new talent. The event is held in downtown Newport in the vicinity of 201 Hazel St.
For more information, search for the Blue Bridge Center for the Delta Arts on Facebook or call the Newport Economic Development Commission at (870) 523-1009.
GO SEE
Out-of-state art fairs are another way to see original art, so if you can, make your travel plans to coincide with them. The most prestigious art show in the Americas is Art Basel, held the first week of December each year in South Beach, Miami. More than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa participate, showcasing works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Miami is overtaken with amazing art during this week. And there are many other Miami shows, including Art Miami, Aqua, Select, and Red Dot, just to name a few. It is a collector’s paradise. There are also dozens of regional shows.
Interested in learning more? Artfaircalendar.com offers a list of juried art fairs from coast to coast.
HomeStyle, Pages 38 on 01/12/2013