What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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December 18-24, 2022 What's up! 9 Year-end Top 10 A Place For Artists cache creates, funds opportunities for growth Editor's Note: This is April Wallace's first selection. It comes from stories written throughout the year, with bits published Feb. 20, July 24 and some posted purely on social media, but it will certainly have a lasting impact on not only the downtowns of Springdale and Bentonville, where its main art-showing opportunities hinge, but the entirety of Northwest Arkansas. APRIL WALLACE NWA Democrat-Gazette I t's no secret that lack of funding can get in the way of many artistic productions, but now there are numbers to back that up locally and funds in place to fix it. During a 2021 survey of 400 Northwest Arkansas artists, 75% said their primary impediment was lack of affordable space and time required to test and create new work. The Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange is a new initiative that allowed local artists, directors, curators and other creatives to apply for the necessary funding. The money has since gone toward their galleries, shows, performances and studio space to create their work. The fund is made possible by a grant from the Tyson Family Foundation and supports 80 activations throughout this year and into 2023. Of those 80, 32 were live events; 24 indoor or outdoor art installations; and 20 community workshops. "It's an exciting year we have ahead of us," says Lisa Marie Evans, project manager of creative development for the Creative Arkansas Community Hub and Exchange, which announced the fund's launch on Feb. 7. Evans and Artist & Community Manager Amber Perrodin gave interested artists more details in various Zoom meetings over the course of the following week. The Creative Exchange Fund offered five different opportunities. Applications closed March 14. "They'll all have mentorship, networking tools and resources that are industry specific," Evans says. "We want to offer those to help (artists) succeed and connect them with community." Applications were reviewed by a panel from the 214 advisory committee, 214 leadership council, CACHE staff and representatives from the Tyson Family Foundation. To determine the award recipients, they thought about whether the project presented opportunities for professional growth and risk taking; if it was feasible; and whether the artist applying had the skill to achieve what they proposed. Panelists looked for projects with a compelling vision or purpose. In February, all activity was planned to take place at the CACHE 214 campus, at 214 S. Main St. in Springdale. While much of it did, CACHE announced a partnership with the Ledger building in Bentonville in June and selected 35 artists with varied mediums to be featured in the space. In November, CACHE announced the renaming of the Springdale location, formerly the Arts Center of the Ozarks and referred to as 214 in the interim, as "The Medium" during a party at the site. Banners surrounding the parking lot already reflect the change. Funding awards went to event producers for original, live, community-driven events; one-time programs; to musicians for monthly performances; curators and artists in residence. This outdoor activation at 214 was intended to turn the entryway into a place of sanctuary, peace and internal reflection. this metal sculpture/curated experience is the culmination of a unified vision by thomas G. erickson, recipient of cache's "call for curators" grant; billy Lindsay, eugene martin and ben munson. (courtesy photo/cache) See CACHE page 39