The eighth annual Conway ArtsFest, set for Sept. 26 to Oct. 5, has a schedule of diverse events planned, including a fashion show, a choir performance and the installation of a large stickwork sculpture.
Sponsored by the Conway Alliance for the Arts, the eighth annual event’s theme is Art Everywhere.
“A big part of it is to expose people to free art and to make people aware that art isn’t just art on the wall — there’s way more to it,” said Beth Norwood, co-chair of the event.
Norwood, program director of The Locals in downtown Conway, and Shawn Goicoechea, assistant director of human resources at Hendrix College, are coordinating this year’s event.
Although it officially starts Sept. 26, an ArtsFest preview will begin Sept. 18 with exhibits at Hendrix and a public lecture at the University of Central Arkansas by award-winning sculptor Patrick Dougherty of North Carolina, who has a big role to play in the festival.
Dougherty is collecting sticks and saplings to construct a structure on the Baum Gallery lawn at the University of Central Arkansas’ McCastlain Hall.
The unveiling of the structure will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 20. It will be on view all day, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., beginning Sept. 21.
“It’s pretty neat to see artists who come and do those large-scale projects,” Norwood said.
Norwood, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art history, said Conway is the envy of some of her grad-school friends for landing Dougherty for ArtsFest.
His work has been throughout the U.S. and in locations that include Scotland, Japan and Belgium, according to his website, www.stickwork.net.
Another event considered a coup for the festival is the Choir of Clare College Cambridge Concert at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 in Greene Chapel at Hendrix College.
Art shows will be underway at both Hendrix and UCA during ArtsFest, as well as one by Independent Living Services at Bob’s Grill on Oak Street in downtown Conway.
Julie Isom, director of volunteers for
ArtsFest, said many volunteers are needed to make the festival a success.
“There are a lot of people signing up now, which is good, but we always need more,” she said.
One of the highlights of Conway ArtsFest is Light Up the Night, from 5-11 p.m. Oct. 3 on Van Ronkle Street, which will be closed from Rogers Plaza to Markham Street.
Closing the street is a first, the organizers said.
“Since it’s a first, we’re both most nervous and excited about that happening,” Goicoechea said.
“We’re really hoping for a big crowd to help fill that space. We’re used to 500 — this year, we would love it to get into the 1,000 range,” he said.
“The city’s very supportive,” Norwood said of blocking the street. The pair said they talked to businesses along the street, who have also supported the effort.
Art installations will be seen up and down Van Ronkle, Norwood said.
“We will have temporary public art installations in weird nooks and crannies on Van Ronkle,” she said.
“We’ve always done Light Up the Night; we’ve always had a light theme in the past,” she said. “We’re still going to have light-based installations.” One of those will be by UCA faculty member Scott Meador, who will project “moving images” onto the area above the awning of the Quattlebaum building, she said.
“Last year, he did it, and it was really neat. He did it on boxes last year,” she said.
Someone will be spinning yarn in front of The Locals and giving pieces to people to add to a fiber collage, Norwood said.
She said that John Paul McCaughey, a visiting assistant professor at UCA, will be stationed in a little-used downtown alley to give a printmaking workshop.
Goicoechea said people in Conway who complain there’s nothing to do will have plenty of choices.
“There will be art on display; there will be interactive things you can do; there will be food, music. It should be a festival atmosphere, for sure. It will be an expression of many people’s creativity,” Goicoechea said.
ArtsFest Couture will be part of the Oct. 3 activities, and people can sign up online to participate, Norwood said. The website is www.artsfestconway.com.
“It’s not hard; you just make something,” Goicoechea said. Participants may enter one of three categories.
Art in the Park, Oct. 4 in Simon Park in downtown Conway, is a perfect opportunity for families to experience art, the organizers said.
“We’re going to have hands-on activity booths,” Norwood said.
Children will be able to make monster prints. Hendrix art students are making “print blocks of different monster body parts,” she said. “Kids will be able to choose their different body parts and mix and match and make a complete creature.”
A “huge work of art,” a steamroller print, will be made during the day, she said.
The list goes on and on.
Norwood and Goicoechea said the festival has grown each year.
“The first year it was one day, one afternoon, a couple of hours,” Norwood said.
People often go from Conway to Little Rock for cultural events, Goicoechea said, and “we’re trying to reverse that a little bit.”
Norwood and Goicoechea said awareness of art is one of the purposes of the event.
Goicoechea said people who don’t follow the “art scene” can enjoy an aspect of ArtsFest that opens their eyes to the spectrum of art.
“I think that’s always cool, to see the growth of people’s awareness,” Goicoechea said. “We want people to go and experience a little bit of wonder in their day-to-day routine.”
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.