What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1411289
BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette I f you build it, they will come." The quote — from the 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" — refers to baseball, but it's also been true for a decade for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Since opening in Bentonville on Nov. 11, 2011, the museum has welcomed 5.4 million visitors from around the world — 55% from outside Arkansas and most of them adults. New this fall, the CB to You Mobile Art Lab takes Crystal Bridges into the communities that surround it, with the goal of reaching audiences of all ages, especially children. "CB to You challenges the museum's mission and staff members to dig deeper on the meaning of 'welcoming all' and access to arts by meeting people where they are," says Sara Segerlin, director of community engagement for Crystal Bridges. "Our community engagement work activates the museum's resources and staff to build trust, welcome diverse perspectives, and nurture authentic relationships with the communities we serve." Launched Aug. 18 at the Madison County Library in Huntsville, CB to You will visit seven towns in the greater Northwest Arkansas region — Huntsville, West Fork, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Rogers, Springdale and Siloam Springs, Segerlin says. "We visit each town's library, park, community center or food pantry for four days and also have scheduled a return visit, as we hope to spend time getting to know each town. … We will be traveling from Aug. 18 to Dec. 20 for a 56-day tour." Artists with experience in community outreach were chosen for the tour, with new faces coming from the University of Arkansas' Master of Fine Arts program to join established favorites like Papa Rap and Lakisha Harper Bradley with My-T-By-Design studio, Segerlin says. "We also looked to artists and local art organizations as the experts in fostering community storytelling, so we looked to partner broadly with literary organizations such as Open Mouth Reading Series, Ozark Poets and Writers Collective, and Poetic Justice Speak Your Jewel," she adds. "In the future, we may move to an open call sign-up once we have figured out a good working model from this fall and spring's pilot tour." Segerlin says "we look like a bit of an art caravan," setting up portable artworks, pop-up tents, traveling performance spaces and "a buffet of art-making activities that are designed by local artists" in a community park or outside a library. One of those artists is Junli Song, who is working on her master of fine arts degree at the University of Arkansas. "I was very fortunate as a child to grow up in a big city with an incredible SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2021 WHAT'S UP! 3 FYI CB to You Art Lab Next stop for the art tour is Sept. 23-26 at the Boys and Girls Club Jeffery Center, 4905 N. "O" St. in Fort Smith, with a final day downtown. Sept. 23 — Host artist is Lakisha Harper Bradley from 2 to 6 p.m. Craig Colorusso performs at 4 p.m., followed by story- telling with the Ozark Poets and Writers Collec- tive at 5 p.m. Sept. 24 — Host artist is Jeffry Cantu from noon to 5 p.m., followed by Ssto- rytelling with the Open Mouth Reading Series at 5 p.m. Sept. 25 — Host artist is Junli Song from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a perfor- mance by Papa Rap from noon to 2 p.m., an artist discussion at 2:15 p.m. and storytelling from 2 to 3 p.m. with Akau Anyieth, Poetic Justice: Speak Your Jewel! Sept. 26 — Host artist is Markeith Woods from 1 to 5 p.m. for the final day at 913 Garrison Ave. There will be an artist discus- sion at 3:15 p.m., followed by Music Moves at 5 p.m. Visit crystalbridges.org for other tour stops. RIVER VALLEY Art On The Road CB to You brings museum to surrounding communities "I hope they leave with a wider understanding of what an artist can be, in two senses," Junli Song says of her work in communities with CB to You Mobile Art Lab. "The first is formally, because I think people often believe that the only kinds of art that exist are painting and sculpture. However, there are so many incredible mediums we can use to create! The second point is a cultural one: in our society, Asians are often seen only to excel in areas like science and math, and to be lacking in creative areas like the arts. The only exception is probably in classical music, but even in that Asian musicians are praised for high technical skill as opposed to emotional expression. It is really important to me to change this perception, and to show that my community can be a powerful voice in the creative field as well!" (Courtesy Photo/Junli Song) See CB To You Page 4