With a dynamic arts scene that showcases creativity in all its forms, the local arts experience features everything from indie art installations to world-class exhibitions and performances.
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An annual event chaired by Academy Award winner Geena Davis in partnership withWalmart and Coca-Cola, The Bentonville Film Festival is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry. The festival showcases films and media projects made by women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. It also includes panel discussions, workshops, and other educational and networking opportunities for filmmakers and industry professionals.
INTERFORM Fashion Week’s mission is to highlight fashion trends, burgeoning local brands, and up and coming designers, to celebrate Northwest Arkansas’ growing culture and raise awareness and support for local organizations doing incredible things.
The Artosphere Festival celebrates art, music and nature with exciting performances, activities and events that the whole family can enjoy. Each year, Artosphere spotlights artists and performers from around the world who are inspired by nature, and provides a creative framework for the community to discuss issues of sustainability and environmental awareness.
The War Eagle Fair began in 1954 as a way for crafters from across the Ozarks region to display their works. Taking place along the banks of the War Eagle Creek, the fair now features more than 250 booths of handcrafted products.
Connecting local artists and craftspeople with shoppers since 2011, The Little Craft Show provides a platform for makers to sell their work and community members to support them. During these events, you can shop for handmade ceramics, one-of-a-kind prints, scratch-made baked goods, unique jewelry, and plenty of weird and wonderful gifts that can’t be found anywhere else.
Launched in 2009, the festival has since helped incubate the development of more than 50 plays. The playwright-focused festival links authors with a director, dramaturg, and professional cast for an intensive two- to three-week laboratory process, culminating in staged reading performances.
NWA Pride is the largest LGBTQI Pride celebration in Arkansas and is held annually. In just over a decade, NWA Pride has grown from 200 brave participants and spectators into a multi-day calendar of events serving more than 20,000 residents and tourists. It is Fayetteville’s second-largest event, and Arkansas’ largest LGBTQ Pride celebration.
The inclusive performance art platform, INVERSE strives to foster local dialogue about performance on an international scale and build a community of performance artists and supporters, providing opportunities for performance work to be cultivated in the community. The annual INVERSE Performance Art Festival began in 2016 and has been warmly received in its two host locations: Northwest Arkansas and San Luis Obispo, California.
Art on the Bricks Art Walk is designed to bring people to the cultural and historical center of Rogers. The 2nd Thursday of every month, talented artists, craftsmen, and musicians partner with downtown merchants to showcase Northwest Arkansas’s deep and vibrant pool of creative talent.
The premiere festival in Northwest Arkansas showcasing video and photography from high school and college students to build strong connections and networks to enable a sustainable pathway from education to industry.
A cultural leader in this region, the Fayetteville Film Festival brings world-class film to the state of Arkansas, developing meaningful relationships with filmmakers and nurturing the art of filmmaking by uniting a community of creators and supporters.
A world-class museum dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation of American art. The museum’s collection spans five centuries of American art, featuring works by prominent artists such as Norman Rockwell, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Andy Warhol. The museum also features a 120-acre park with outdoor art installations and walking trails.
Housed in a former Kraft cheese plant, the Momentary is a 70,000-square-foot contemporary art space for visual and performing arts, culinary experiences, festivals, artists-in-residence, and more. With free general admission and the option to explore the galleries and outdoor artworks, catch a performance, or enjoy a savory bite or refreshing drink, there’s something for everyone to discover.
An interactive arts and sciences museum featuring approximately 50,000 square feet of exhibit and learning spaces designed to bring learning to life for children and families while evoking a sense of curiosity and discovery through hands-on activities. Exhibitions include the 3M Tinkering Hub, General Mills Lift, Load and Haul, Market Sponsored by Walmart, Nature Valley Water Amazements, Nickelodeon Play Lab, Hershey’s Lab and more.
Founded by David Bogle, a registered member of the Cherokee Nation, the Museum of Native American History (MONAH) is a cultural center that showcases over 10,000 of the finest Native American artifacts. Through various mediums such as storytelling, song, art, and language, MONAH connects with and pays respect to the Native American tribes of the region and state, including the Osage, Caddo, and Quapaw people. This commitment to cultural preservation and appreciation is a critical element of understanding the past and shaping a more respectful and inclusive future.
George’s Majestic Lounge is the oldest and longest-running live music venue in Arkansas. This downtown Fayetteville gem is a local music mecca and has showcased local, regional, and national acts like Turnpike Troubadours, Bassnectar, Big Gigantic, Zac Brown Band, Fitz & the Tantrums, Cherub, Tower of Power, Animal Collective, Phantogram, comedian Hannibal Burress, Sturgill Simpson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dierks Bentley, and so many more.
Known as Northwest Arkansas’ premiere outdoor concert venue, the Arkansas Music Pavilion has been one of the top 100 amphitheaters in the nation and has produced headlining concerts by artists like Janet Jackson, Rob Thomas, The Killers, comedian Trevor Noah, Earth Wind & Fire, Florida Georgia Line, Leon Bridges, Travis Scott, G-Eazy, Lil Uzi Vert, The Smashing Pumpkins, Santana, Brad Paisley, Jackson Browne and more.
Butterfield Stage is an outdoor pavilion with seating up to 1,500 that serves as the venue for the annual Railyard Live concert series, a summer music series hosted in Downtown Rogers. The entrance to the stage is housed in the former farmer’s market building.
Once a historic movie theater, the Meteor has been restored into a guitar store and performance venue. The store houses over a thousand instruments and amplifiers, local art pieces, and comfortably accommodates 370 people for live music, movie nights, or parties.
JJ’s Live is a 2000+ person capacity Live Music and Event space located in the heart of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Since opening, the venue has hosted hundreds of acts including Parker McCollum, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Casey Donahew, Aaron Watson, Reza the Illusionist, Steve Wariner, and Josh Abbott Band
City Sessions is a local concert series based in Northwest Arkansas that features artists from our communities and around the world. The concerts pop up in neighborhoods, parks, and parking lots across the region.
The Music Depot aims to provide a space for both entertainment and education, specifically paying homage to Black Roots music such as blues, jazz, hip-hop and R&B, gospel, and more. The first permanent venue space for Music Moves, the space has been designed to provide an immersive and intimate concert experience, ensuring an unforgettable time for every attendee.
The House of Songs invites songwriters from around the world to the United States to share the universal language of music in collaborations designed to bridge cultures, build friendships and cultivate peace. The House of Songs regularly hosts collaborative events and music exchanges at its dreamy Victorian home, which is a short walk from downtown Bentonville.
As Arkansas’s largest theater and the recipient of critical acclaim, TheatreSquared is a cultural landmark, with over 80,000 community members attending 350 performances and events annually. Its home, winner of multiple architectural awards, unites two intimate theaters, a rehearsal space, a café, outdoor gathering spaces, production workshops, offices, and artists’ apartments. TheatreSquared’s expansion mirrors the emergence of Northwest Arkansas as a destination for American art. The company remains committed to its founding vision: that theatre, done well and with passion, can transform lives and communities.
The Walton Arts Center, along with Walmart AMP, strives to become nationally renowned for its innovative and inclusive approach to providing first-class arts experiences. Walton Arts Center proudly houses two resident companies: Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, the region’s professional symphony orchestra and Community Creative Center, an art studio for adults and youth. With a commitment to developing performing arts companies, the Center aims to ensure that the performing arts continue to be a vital part of life in Northwest Arkansas.
Bringing together the best of Trike Theatre and Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, Ovations was created with the mission to advance a more inclusive, vibrant, and prominent NWA/Delta region by unifying small, performing arts organizations into a single, well-resourced arts champion better equipped to deliver culture-changing initiatives.
Arts One Presents, formerly Arts Center of the Ozarks, is best known for its theater production along with visual art. The organization began as the Springdale Fine Arts Association in 1967, originally being the only community theatre in Northwest Arkansas. Arts One Presents mission is to empower artists, enrich business, and engage the community through accessible and inclusive visual and performing arts experiences.
The Arkansas Public Theatre believes the performing arts is an essential part of a healthy community and provides live theater experiences for audiences, performers, and students that enhance the Rogers Historic District as a regional destination.
A vital resource for veterans in the region, the VA hospital provides comprehensive outpatient services such as counseling, therapy, and access to support groups. Its convenient location makes it easily accessible to veterans living in the surrounding areas.
Arkansas’ largest soundstage, with over 10,000 square feet of dedicated studio space, so you can design, build, and shoot anything your project demands.
The 2nd Street Studio in downtown Rogers is a welcoming place for creatives. Whether it’s a product shoot, podcast booth, portrait session, gear rental, or editing suite, this space is ready to help you bring your project to life.
Introduction Image Credit: Listening Forest by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer at Crystal Bridges
