New arts festival to include several regions
by July 31, 2013 9:12 pm 156 views
A new arts festival managed by the Spring Creek Arts Association and designed to include children and students “from Fort Smith to Eureka Springs to Bentonville” was unveiled Wednesday (July 31) during a presentation at the Jones Center in Springdale.
The Spring Creek Arts Festival, to be held Oct. 23-26 at the Jones Center, is now accepting submissions from students in kindergarten through college. Entries will be accepted through Sept. 30. Art submissions will be accepted in four categories: digital film and video, photography, live performance, and art.
springcreekfestival.com
Mike Gilbert, chief operations officer of the Jones Trust, said Wednesday that the festival’s primary goal is to “celebrate student art” across a wide region. He also said he hopes the association’s work results in expanded arts programs across the Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith regions.
“From Fort Smith to Eureka Springs to Bentonville, it’s important to us” to get as many students as possible interested in art, Gilbert said.
Stan Green with Clear Energy was on hand to formally announce that the Fayetteville-based company is donating $45,000 to the association and festival. Clear Energy and ABC 40/29 are presenting sponsors of the festival.
The Spring Creek Arts Association is newly formed, with board members hailing from various parts of Northwest Arkansas and from Fort Smith.
“The association stands for inclusion and the power that comes with embracing diversity while encouraging the arts to flourish in the minds and hearts of children,” notes association literature.
An association goal also includes providing arts opportunities for at-risk children and students from low-income families. The association is the process of working with a sponsor to fund all entry fees for the festival. Association officials said they hope to soon make an announcement about the sponsorship.
Part of the inaugural festival includes bringing Irish artist Maser to Springdale to help students paint a large mural on the Youth Strategies Skill Center on the Jones Center grounds. The mural will be on the side of the building that faces Emma Street, which travels through downtown Springdale.
Maser is also scheduled to conduct a workshop for local students.
Ed Clifford, CEO of the Jones Center, said another aspect of the festival is to help downtown Springdale attract new visitors. He said the downtown area “needs footsteps,” and the festival is one of many projects at the Jones Center helping to bring footsteps to the area.
Link here to the Spring Creek website for more information on the festival and entry details.