Art in Northwest Arkansas
The School of Art regularly hosts exhibitions, visiting artist lectures, and other art-related events. Within the School of Art there is are two exhibition spaces: The Fine Arts Center Gallery, which features nationally and internationally renowned artists; and sUgAR, which is the graduate student-run exhibition space that features student and professional exhibitions. In addition, the Drama and Music departments regularly offer discounted or free programming for students.
Beyond campus, Northwest Arkansas is home to many different arts organizations and the programming is plentiful. Fayetteville is home to the Walton Arts Center, which also features an art gallery, brings Broadway quality theater, musical performances, and lectures to town. The city also boasts a robust list of DIY art/music venues such as the Fayetteville Underground, LaLaLand, Stage18, and Backspace. In addition, Fayetteville also hosts "First Thursday ArtWalks", which fosters exchange between students and other community members. And, if you venture just a few miles up the road, there are even more things to do. Recently, Bentonville was featured on Hyperallergic as, "America's Newest Art Pilgrimmage."
Living in Northwest Arkansas
One of the fastest-growing regions in the country, Northwest Arkansas is home to over 450,000 residents and offers many unique cultural experiences. The city of Fayetteville boasts the Walton Arts Center, as well as great restaurants and nightlife, excellent farmer’s markets, and a historic downtown area. Fayetteville is regularly listed as one of the top places in the US to live, by Forbes, BusinessWeek, and others. It is a bicycle friendly town, with trails and greenways to help get you around, and there is an abundance of outdoor activities in the surrounding Ozark Mountains.
