Check out some of the recent ways Northwest Arkansas has been garnering national attention!
NW Arkansas Places
Siloam Springs Named Cutest Little Town in Arkansas
Siloam Springs was recently named the “cutest little town” in Arkansas by PureWow.
The Excerpt: “On the edge of the Ozark Mountains sits this town that once attracted settlers for the aforementioned springs’ therapeutic qualities. Today, you can swim in the handful of springs still flowing just outside the historic Main Street area.”
NW Arkansas People
Interchange Fellow: Artist Simone Cottrell (Fayetteville, AR)
Mid-America Arts Alliance’s Interchange program supports individual artists making change in communities across the middle of America. The pilot program, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, recognized 16 regional artists from six different states one of whom is based in Northwest Arkansas.
The daughter of a Cambodian refugee and a Vietnam veteran, Simone Cottrell is a multidisciplinary theatre-maker in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Her project, Lotus Rising, will support the narratives of Southeast Asians and Southeast Asian Americans, particularly those affected by the diaspora, who reside in Northwest Arkansas. Children and young adults will be invited to share their own narratives and collect narratives from their elders through an innovative collaboration of traditional Southeast Asian drama and Western theatre devising practices. Collected and shared narratives will be transformed into an original theatre performance for the community.
NW Arkansas People
Interchange Fellow: Artist Simone Cottrell (Fayetteville, AR)
Mid-America Arts Alliance’s Interchange program supports individual artists making change in communities across the middle of America. The pilot program, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, recognized 16 regional artists from six different states one of whom is based in Northwest Arkansas.
The daughter of a Cambodian refugee and a Vietnam veteran, Simone Cottrell is a multidisciplinary theatre-maker in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Her project, Lotus Rising, will support the narratives of Southeast Asians and Southeast Asian Americans, particularly those affected by the diaspora, who reside in Northwest Arkansas. Children and young adults will be invited to share their own narratives and collect narratives from their elders through an innovative collaboration of traditional Southeast Asian drama and Western theatre devising practices. Collected and shared narratives will be transformed into an original theatre performance for the community.
NW Arkansas Places
Shiloh Museum Recognized for Innovation in Museum Education
The EdCom Award for Innovation in Museum Education recognizes, encourages, and celebrates new, creative ways of engaging audiences.
The 2019 winner for innovation in museum education was awarded to Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale, Arkansas, for their collaboration with the Marshallese community on a project called Wa kuk wa jimor (“Canoe of One Community”). This innovative partnership impacted more than two thousand students and other visitors who had the chance to see a traditional Marshallese canoe being built, interact with Marshallese craftspeople, and learn about Marshallese traditions and culture.
NW Arkansas People
Ciara Anfield and Twilla Brooks of Walmart Featured in Essence
First published in 1970, ESSENCE is one of the few American magazines that focuses on reaching an audience of black women. ESSENSCE revolves around the black woman experience, and has remained for a long period of time
Recently, Walmart partnered with ESSENCE in an effort to attract more excellent, diverse talent by publishing features on incredible women leaders in the magazine. The features highlight the stories of two incredible women based out of Walmart’s home office in Bentonville, AR: Ciara Anfield, who rose through the ranks to become Senior Director of Experiential Marketing, and Twilla Brooks, who is leading the next generation of black women in retail overseeing all of the menswear across a variety of categories stateside.
NW Arkansas People
Ciara Anfield and Twilla Brooks of Walmart Featured in Essence
First published in 1970, ESSENCE is one of the few American magazines that focuses on reaching an audience of black women. ESSENSCE revolves around the black woman experience, and has remained for a long period of time
Recently, Walmart partnered with ESSENCE in an effort to attract more excellent, diverse talent by publishing features on incredible women leaders in the magazine. The features highlight the stories of two incredible women based out of Walmart’s home office in Bentonville, AR: Ciara Anfield, who rose through the ranks to become Senior Director of Experiential Marketing, and Twilla Brooks, who is leading the next generation of black women in retail overseeing all of the menswear across a variety of categories stateside.
NW Arkansas People
Thaden Field Named 2019 Airport of the Year by FAA
“Bentonville Municipal Airport — Louise M. Thaden Field recently received the 2019 Airport of the Year Award for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Southwest Region and announced it has accepted a $250,000 state grant as part of a project to build a west taxiway. The southwest region includes about 750 airports in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico.” (Talk Business and Politics)
NW Arkansas Places
#BecauseBentonville
The Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce was recently given the Best in Show for Communications Excellence award by the National Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives for their #BecauseBentonville campaign. The innovative campaign involved sending VR kits to “adventurepreneurs” located throughout the United States, taking them on a virtual trip through the mountain biking trails of NW Arkansas in close proximity to downtown Bentonville, highlighting one of the unique quality of life aspects of the area.
NW Arkansas Places
#BecauseBentonville
The Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce was recently given the Best in Show for Communications Excellence award by the National Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives for their #BecauseBentonville campaign. The innovative campaign involved sending VR kits to “adventurepreneurs” located throughout the United States, taking them on a virtual trip through the mountain biking trails of NW Arkansas in close proximity to downtown Bentonville, highlighting one of the unique quality of life aspects of the area.
NW Arkansas People
The Walton Arts Center and the Arkansas Music Pavilion Receive 2019 Venue Excellence Award
The Walton Arts Center and the Arkansas Music Pavilion have been honored with the International Association of Venue Managers’ (IAVM) 2019 Venue Excellence award! The award annually recognizes five venues that demonstrate excellence and innovation in operation and management of publicly accessible venues. The venues have been distinguished for service to the community, team building, safety and security, and operational excellence.
They found themselves in good company, as the four other 2019 Venue Excellence Award winners included the following: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN, State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu, and Tacoma Venues & Events in Tacoma, WA.
