ArtWeek ’10 Combines the Best of Little Rock and North Little Rock

Kerry Kraus, travel writer
Arkansas Tourism

The old adage, “two is better than one,” certainly applies to the week of May 13-22 in central Arkansas as Little Rock and North Little Rock team up for ArtWeek ’10.

Over 60 venues on both sides of the Arkansas River are taking part in the 10-day event designed “to promote the combined downtowns of Little Rock and North Little Rock as a thriving and innovative arts communities,” according to ArtWeek sponsors. Scheduled are both visual and performing arts activities, culinary arts, literary and film art in galleries, museums, restaurants, public spaces and businesses. Locations in Little Rock include The Arts Scene, Arkansas Studies Institute, the Capital Hotel, the River Market, and Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. On the North Little Rock site, the Argenta Bead Company, Baker House Bed and Breakfast, Claytime, Garage Sale Queen, Greg Thompson Fine Art, and Dickey-Stephens Park are venues.

Kicking off the festival and its theme “Bridging the Cities & Celebrating the Arts” is a party on the Junction Bridge beginning at 5:30 p.m. on May 13. Second Friday Art Night and the Collaboration of the Arts in the River Market are both on May 14 in Little Rock. A performance by the Rockefeller Quartet is on May 18, also in Little Rock. A Hypertufa Class on May 15, Home Plate Heroes on May 20, a one-man show by Matt McLeod on May 20 and 21, and the 3rd Friday Argenta ArtWalk on May 21 take place on the North Little Rock side of the Arkansas River. A grand finale on May 22 rounds out the festivities.

Local restaurants get in on the action with Arts for Lunch and Dinner! Participating businesses and clubs have live art demonstrations during the two meals daily throughout the celebration. Other specials and activities are still being scheduled. Check the Website for updates.

Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola has great hopes for this event. When announcing the inaugural edition, he said “I hope it eventually becomes as well-known as Spoleto,” referring to the internationally recognized Spoleto U.S.A. arts extravaganza in Charleston, South Carolina.