Arts and culture coalition seeks ‘collective place’ for collaboration

The Fort Smith metro arts community is being introduced to an effort to make it more robust with the recent creation of a nonprofit arts coalition designed to promote collaboration, networking, and the sharing of resources.

Amy Willadsen, the executive director of Western Arkansas Ballet in Fort Smith, said the idea of forming the River Valley Arts and Culture Coalition began about a year ago when she collaborated with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith’s (UAFS) Center for Economic Development to discuss strategic planning for the ballet.

Even with numerous art programs in the area, the opportunities seemed segmented.

“One of our board members who had lived in other places said it’s hard,” Willadsen said. “If you know who to follow on social media you can find out what’s going on in the arts world, but there’s no place, like one collective place.”

Emily Treadaway, director for the UAFS Center for Nonprofits, helped the coalition form by providing space and inviting some of the nonprofit groups that are part of the coalition. The college’s Center for Nonprofits is a new organization, formed about a year ago, Treadaway said, when an anonymous $7.5 million endowment was gifted to the university.

As a result, the center provides training and resources to nonprofits. While her focus is primarily on the Fort Smith metro, Treadaway said she does provide support such as virtual trainings and suggestions to others around the state to help them better serve their communities.

“We’re not unique in that lots of other states have similar centers, but we are unique, and we’re the only one that I’m aware of that’s endowment based, and we’re the only one that’s a free membership,” Treadaway said.

The arts coalition’s first meeting was in May, Willadsen said. About 10 nonprofits attended, and Willadsen said there was discussion that centered around needs, such as having a shared calendar and conducting a study on the economic impact the arts have on Fort Smith. More importantly, the meetings provide the arts-based nonprofits an opportunity to network instead of working in silos. The group meets monthly, and just this month the size of the group almost doubled.

“I think it’s easy for arts and culture organizations to stay within each of their own communities and see other organizations as a threat to their own,” said Demi Cartwright, marketing director, dance curriculum advisor, and photo and film instructor at the Institute for the Creative Arts High School and coalition member. “But personally, I think greater art and greater access to culture is possible when we share resources and choose to collaborate. Seeing already how so many of us are so willing to help each other with pain points and spreading awareness, it’s inspiring! We all share such similar missions, and being a part of this group helps us see that those missions don’t have to clash.”

The coalition is already seeing the benefits of working together. During one meeting, the idea of holding an arts walk was discussed; however, because of the collaboration, the members decided it would be more beneficial to look into participating in the already-planned Garrison Arts Walk scheduled for Nov. 7.

Donna Niedergeses Davis, the founder of the Branton Ramsey Legacy Foundation and a coalition member, is already seeing the benefits.

“The coalition also provides an important opportunity for organizations to share ideas, learn from one another, and benefit from each other’s experiences,” Davis said. “We can discuss what has worked, what hasn’t, and what lessons others have learned along the way. For a relatively new nonprofit like ours, having access to that knowledge, perspective, and support is incredibly valuable.”

While the focus in the economic development world has been on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), Willadsen and Treadaway want to stress the importance of arts to a community’s well-being.

“The arts are important for creative expression, kind of using that different part of your brain, a way to express yourself,” Willadsen said. “It brings beauty to our community regardless of the art form, whether it be dance, whether it be the visual arts, whether it be performing, music arts. It preserves beauty in our communities.”

In addition to the physical benefits that dance and other art forms bring, it also provides an outlet for mental health expression.

“It can become an outlet for a lot of people to express their emotions,” Willadsen said.

Treadaway said where government or for-profit organizations are not able to help, nonprofits fill the gaps and often provide the art opportunities in a community. There’s a lot of talk about the growth of Fort Smith, Treadaway said, and when people do move to the community, they look for places to take their families.

“I think it helps make our community more attractive to people to come in, and we know that we have a thriving art scene here,” Treadaway said. There’s just a lot of history here. I think it just makes a well-rounded community when you have those different opportunities.”

Treadaway said the coalition has good regional representation, including Greenwood, Fort Smith, Van Buren and Mountainburg. Members so far include Western Arkansas Ballet; Branton Ramsey Legacy Foundation; Community School of the Arts and the Institute for the Creative Arts High School; Cre8ive Arts Network in Mulberry; Fort Smith Regional Art Museum; Monarch 61; Fort Smith Public Library; UAFS – Art and Graphic Design; Greenwood Fine Arts Academy; Arkansas Colleges of Health Education; Fort Smith Symphony; Arts on Main; Discover Fort Smith; Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau; Arts at Bost; and the Fort Smith Little Theater.

Any arts-based nonprofit in good standing with the state can contact Willadsen at 479-785-0152 or [email protected] to learn more about how to join the coalition.