ARTFUL HEALING
The healing effects of the arts are no secret, but they’re not always so literal.
The month of October saw Thea Foundation’s walls turned into a gallery full of artworks created by patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and artists-in-residence Elizabeth Weber and Hamid Ebrahimifar.
Titled “Arkansas Children’s Patients Creating a Positive Patient Experience Through Art,” the annual exhibit is, according to Thea Foundation executive director Nick Leopoulos, one the nonprofit is always excited to host
“This wonderfully expressive show is a beautiful mix of colorful and thoughtful works speaking to the individualism of each patient artist,” Leopoulos says.”It is a moving exhibition that everyone should experience.”
NEW GROUND
The Arkansas Arts Center officially broke ground on its new and reimagined space in MacArthur Park. The AAC will see 127,000 square feet of expansions and renovations, including a new entrance exposing the original 1937 Museum of Fine Arts entryway, expanded studios and education spaces, a black box theater, a “family art adventure space” and a restaurant overlooking the park.
Studio Gang, an architecture and urban design practice based in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, is working in partnership with Little Rock’s Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects to bring designs to life while SCAPE, a landscape architecture and urban design studio based in New York, is transforming the outdoor areas.
The AAC is currently operating out of 2510 Cantrell Road until renovations are complete in 2022.
BALLET ARKANSAS IN THE COMMUNITY
When Ballet Arkansas dancers are not on stage performing, they’re actively invested in the community.
Collaborating with educators in both public and private schools, Ballet Arkansas facilitates on-site performances and lecture demonstrations, working with teachers to add the arts back into the classroom.
“There are numerous studies that show the arts play a large role in scholastic achievement,” executive and artistic director Michael Fothergill says, noting the troupe reaches more than 3,000 children a year through student matinee programs. “We want to do all we can to heighten the educational experience whenever we can. We are here to support the incredible work our educators are doing, however we can complement it.”
What started a year ago with Maumelle High School has grown to become an expansive educational endeavor. Still, there’s more to be done says Meredith Loy, a company dancer who is passionate about outreach in the school systems.
“I grew up in Maumelle, so it makes it even more special that I am getting to go back to my home and share my love and passion with the Maumelle High School Theatre Dance and Mills High School Theatre and Dance programs,” Loy says. “These students are eager to learn.”
BIG MOVES
► The University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College Foundation named Joshua Ang Price its new director of development.
► Qualenta Forrest is the new vice president of human resources for CHI St. Vincent.
► The Methodist Family Health Foundation added two more names to its board of directors: David DePoyster and Clay Gordon.
SAVE THE DATES
OFFSTAGE
Nov. 9
A night of “mystique, mystery and magic” is in store for guests of this inaugural event, along with plenty of bites, drinks and entertainment all benefiting The Weekend Theater.
“HOME ALONE: FILM WITH ORCHESTRA”
Dec. 21 & 22
If Kevin McAllister’s holiday antics accompanied by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra don’t put you in the Christmas spirit, we don’t know what will.
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