Eat, drink, rock and support your local art center
by September 12, 2009 9:58 am 77 views
photos by Linda Kaufenberg
The $2 million effort to relocate the Fort Smith Art Center to a new building continued Friday night (Sept. 11) with a fundraiser at Neumeier’s Rib Room in downtown Fort Smith.
Jeff Gosey helped lined up four bands to play — Tyrannosaurus Chicken; Jo Jo’s Kitchen, Mass Agua and Copesetic — with the money raised supporting renovation of a new art center building.
Arvest Bank donated a former branch back facility — acquired in its $211 million purchase of Superior Federal Bank in late 2003 — at 1601 Rogers Ave. to the Fort Smith Art Center so that center officials can expand their space to exhibit art, photos and provide other services.
Announced in January, the donation was contingent upon art center officials raising $200,000 by June 1. By late May, the art center had received donations and pledges in excess of $225,000 according to art center officials.
On July 14, John Womack and Craig Rivaldo with Arvest Bank of Fort Smith signed the deed over to the art center in a ceremony held at the new Emmy’s Restaurant in Fort Smith (formerly The Hall at Taliano’s).
On Aug. 12, it was announced that Williams/Crawford Properties bought the existing home of the Fort Smith Art Center and would allow the center to occupy the building rent free for a year.
A large renovation expense is in installing a modern humidity and temperature control system, according to art center officials. Precise control of environmental conditions is required before other museums will allow the center to host traveling exhibits.
.jpg "Jo Jo's Kitchen")