Fort Smith Art Museum Set for January Opening
by July 6, 2012 9:53 am 82 views
When the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum opens Jan. 19, patrons can expect a blend of traditional exhibitions and more contemporary, cutting-edge shows, according to executive director Lee Ortega.
“Visitors can expect to have a very different and exciting experience every time they come through our front doors,” Ortega wrote in an email.
The facility largely was made possible by the donation of a 16,000-SF building, on Rogers Avenue, by Arvest Bank. The museum will replace the Fort Smith Art Center, which existed in the Vaughn-Schaap House.
“Transitioning from an art center to an art museum is about positive change,” Ortega said in a separate news release. “These changes include a commitment to greater community involvement and public service, collaborations with other cultural institutions, expanding exhibition offerings, and creating educational opportunities for the diverse population of Fort Smith and the region.”
In addition to ongoing exhibitions, the museum will organize classes for children and adults, and offer artist-led workshops and facility rentals among other things.
Predictably, the museum also will try to take advantage of the thousands of people coming to Northwest Arkansas to visit Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.
“We plan to work with Crystal Bridges and look forward to continued discussions regarding borrowing works from their collection, as well as collaborating on educational programming,” Ortega wrote.
“Most museum seekers are always looking to explore other cultural attractions … and our close proximity would hopefully mean they would include [our museum] in their travel itineraries.”
Ortega also indicated details regarding a membership drive and grand opening events will be made public later this summer. The museum’s $2.5 million fundraising goal almost has been reached, she wrote, adding that efforts to ramp up corporate sponsorships and partnerships are ongoing.