Vision to Reality: The History of Walton Arts Center

Billie Jo Starr and Helen Walton celebrate the Grand Opening of Walton Arts Center in 1992.

Walton Arts Center began because the public and private sectors in Northwest Arkansas had a vision and worked together for the good of the community. Negotiations, compromise, persistence and a shared vision ultimately yielded a facility and an organization that has enriched the cultural life of the region for nearly three decades.

In the late 1980s the Walton Family, the University of Arkansas and the city of Fayetteville each individually realized the need for a community arts facility that could accommodate major touring shows, local and regional performing acts and even corporate meetings. The University and the city formed an Interlocal Agreement and proceeded with plans for the arts center focusing on a 1,200-seat hall located on Dickson Street.

Walton Arts Center before the 2016 renovation and expansion

Initial funding for Walton Arts Center came from generous donations by the Walton Family Foundation, the University of Arkansas and the city of Fayetteville. Additional funds were also raised from the private sector, and Walton Arts Center was completed debt free and opened on April 26, 1992.

In November 2016, Walton Arts Center debuted an expanded facility that dramatically increased front of house and event space, production support space and administrative offices. The expansion added more than 30,000 square feet and improved the experience for both patrons and artists alike.

Today Walton Arts Center has become Arkansas’ premier arts presenter, bringing great performing artists and entertainers from around the world to the region each year. The organization has grown significantly since opening and now operates two additional facilities—Nadine Baum Studios and the Walmart AMP.

Walton Arts Center is home to two resident companies: the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas—the region’s professional symphony orchestra, and Community Creative Center—an art studio for adults and youth. Artistic affiliates include Trike Theatre (Northwest Arkansas’s professional theater company for children) and Opera Fayetteville.

Walton Arts Center believes that access to the arts is essential for all. We strive to make performing arts experiences accessible to the community through our education initiatives and diverse programming.

The 2016 renovation gave Walton Arts Center a new façade that connects the building to Dickson Street and many expanded areas including Walker Atrium.

In a typical season more than 26,000 children get to see a live theater performance at Walton Arts Center each through our school partnerships and education initiatives. We also take professional artists into classrooms and schools to teach and inspire students. In partnership with the Kennedy Center, we provide arts integration training for teachers to transform how teachers teach as well as how students learn.

Every year we bring performances that are “new to Arkansas” for our audiences, ranging from touring Broadway shows and concert artists of every genre to dance and cirque companies.

Some of the most diverse and accessible productions at Walton Arts Center are part of the 10x10 Arts Series. Tickets for these performances are deeply subsidized by grants and corporate sponsors, resulting in a ticket price of merely $10. Many of these performances also offer reduced-price matinee performances for area school children.

Walton Arts Center also brings diverse and accessible programs to Northwest Arkansas as an arts programming producer. Our original festivals include Artosphere: Arkansas’ Arts and Nature Festival, Voice Jam Acapella Festival and the Mosaix Festival.

Walton Arts Center is helping to ensure that the performing arts continue to be a vital part of life in our region. We look toward the future, now positioned to respond to the needs of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country.

Anti-Racism Resources from WAC's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Learning Subcommittee

Conversations about race in America have escalated this summer, including within the performing arts space. Walton Arts Center is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and to standing against racism in all forms. Recently, the WAC Board of Directors formalized a standing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) committee to complement the staff DEI committee that formed last year.  

The staff DEI committee takes an active role in educating committee members and staff about diversity topics to better inform WAC’s commitment to DEI on multiple levels—from staffing to programming to creating safe spaces and more. The DEI learning and resources subcommittee identifies educational materials on topics including race, for the committee to study.

Rachel Burkevich, programming specialist at WAC, leads the learning and resources subcommittee. Here, she shares five resources on race and racism that the DEI committee has studied and along with what she personally learned in each one. If you are a racial ally interested in learning more on the topics of race and racism, we recommend exploring Rachel’s picks:

Books

So You Want to Talk About Race – Ijeoma Oluo – If you have ever been frustrated when speaking to someone about racism because you were having trouble finding the right words and/or connecting with them, then this is the book for you. In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo takes the reader through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make honest conversations about race and racism possible, and break down how they are a part of almost every aspect of American life. This book has been an invaluable resource to me as I conduct thoughtful conversations with family, friends and others.

How to Be an Anti-Racist – Ibram X. Kendi – In How To Be An Anti-Racist, Ibram X. Kendi does an incredible job illustrating racism and racist behaviors by using stories from his own life growing up as a Black American where he is not always on the right side of racist behavior. Kendi explains that there is no such thing as “not racist” – one is either racist or anti-racist. “Not-racist” is a label but being anti-racist is an action and Kendi takes great care in distinguishing the two. This was an incredibly interesting read as I (a late ‘80s baby) was raised in a time when proclaiming you were “not a racist” and “didn’t see color” were considered progressive statements/ideas. This book helped to educate me on how those statements/ideas are misguided and do not serve to inspire growth and understanding.  

Articles

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack – Peggy McIntosh – In this article, Peggy McIntosh writes about what privilege looks like and how racist “invisible systems” have infiltrated and shaped the way America operates. These systems are what secure power and wealth for certain groups while simultaneously locking other groups into inability and poverty. Once we can recognize these “invisible systems” and understand what makes them racist, only then will we be able to address and change them to be more equitable. Now that these “invisible systems” have been revealed to me, I am able to spot and then interrupt them.

“Father and Son,” from Ruddy Roye’s “When Living in Protest” series

Walking While Black – Garnette Cadogan – In this article, Garnette Cadogan beautifully illustrates what it is like to just take a walk as a Black man in America. In order to survive walking, Cadogan must be constantly aware of his posture, gaze, disposition, clothing, gait, etc. Most people do not consider how something as simple and pedestrian as walking down the street can be a completely different experience for others. I think this article resonated so deeply with me is that I am a woman who has also walked down the street before. My experiences are in no way the same, but there are enough similarities that I was able to imagine how much worse these experiences are for a Black person.

Listen

How White Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Race – Michel Martin – Talking to children about racism can be very difficult, but it is so important for parents to take time and care to facilitate thoughtful dialogue and also be ready to address things as they come up. Martin explains that parental silence on racism has helped to perpetuate confusion and apathy in white children. As a parent of two young white children, I know how intimidating these conversations can be. I had a hard time accepting that I would not always have the exact right answer and that it was ok because I could learn with my children. Once you push through that fear of being wrong, I believe you will find that children are much more understanding and thoughtful than we give them credit for.

The Ghost Light - An Apt Metaphor for Our Recovery Fund

When in full operation, sounds of music, laughter and life resound within Walton Arts Center. But when our stages are empty, a relic of a long-standing theatrical tradition lights the space.

There’s an old superstition in the performing arts community that theaters are prone to be haunted by ghosts. For example, it is rumored that Palace Theater on Broadway is home to over 100 spirits, including that of Judy Garland!

Theater professionals take superstition seriously (like saying “break a leg” to an actor who is about to take the stage), and the idea of theater spirits is no exception. It is thought that the belief in haunted theaters is what inspired the long-standing tradition of ghost lights.

Typically, a ghost light is a bare light bulb that is left on the stage when a theater closes for the night. Legend has it that the light is left on either to give the ghosts a chance to perform or to keep them from causing mischief. Even though its origins are supernatural, the ghost light continues to serve a practical purpose in modern theaters.

Performing arts stages typically have an orchestra pit at the end of the stage. This pit can be very deep and poses a danger to anyone on the stage if they get too close to the edge. When the lights go off at the end of the day, it is especially risky to be on the stage—that’s where the ghost light comes in.

The ghost light acts as a beacon for any person who finds themselves in a dark, empty theater. It lights the way for a safe return to the stage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our theater is emptier than usual.

Walton Arts Center has been unable to host large-scale performances since March and our ghost light has been keeping the stage lit throughout our long intermission. We’ve also placed ghost lights in Walker Atrium, the Walmart Lobby and the Sudduth Garden Room as a reminder to our community that as Walton Arts Center faces an uncertain future, the true beacon of hope during this difficult time is you—the patron.

As we began canceling shows due to health and safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, many generous patrons chose to donate all or a portion of the cost of those tickets in lieu of a refund. As the concert season at the Walmart AMP (a Walton Art Center venue) was canceled, many members of Club AMP decided to donate the price of their membership to Walton Arts Center. These donors have become a symbolic ghost light for Walton Arts Center as their funds help us weather the storm. Their generosity inspired the Ghost Light Recovery Fund.

The loss of all large-scale performances at Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP until at least January 2021 has created a significant revenue shortfall for our nonprofit organization. Donations to the Ghost Light Recovery Fund will allow us to maintain our facilities, provide intermission programming (including virtual performances and educational content), retain our staff and offset lost revenue.

By donating to the Recovery Fund, you’ll help light the way for our return to the stage—just like a ghost light in a dark theater. Can you become a ghost light for Walton Arts Center?

Walton Arts Center Participates in Sprayetteville Street Art Festival

By Laura Goodwin, Vice President of Learning and Engagement

Walton Arts Center is participating in Northwest Arkansas’ newest festival, the Sprayetteville Street Art Festival. Eight festival murals by 11 artists are planned in and around the entertainment district of downtown Fayetteville on July 6-12th. The event was created by Loudy Bousman & Ranaga Farbiarz, founders of Shaman Art and owners of the American Shaman Kava Bar. A mural map is planned and available on the website: www.sprayettevillestreetart.com. Most murals are within walking or biking distance of downtown.

As an anchor arts organization, Walton Arts Center cherishes its role and history as a catalyst and incubator in Fayetteville’s emerging cultural corridor. We’re thrilled to continue our commitment to public art in partnership with Sprayetteville.

Artist Octavio Logo is creating the Walton Arts Center mural on the North wall of the Grubs building. He began painting on July 2 and will continue through the duration of the festival. His mural is called Harvesting the Winds of Change. The mural will communicate the importance of creativity in solving the challenges the world faces today. He says, “The changes we need for the present and future can only come from creative minds.” He believes that both science and art will be essential tools to change our world and lives.

Octavio’s Mural Begins to Take Shape

The north wall of Grub’s Bar and Grill is a prime mural location, and we’re excited to experience how it will activate the garden space next to it. Since 1992, Walton Arts Center has been charged with managing and maintaining the property that includes Grub’s. We’re confident that Octavio’s transformation of this space will stimulate reflection, inspire enjoyment and renew interest in the cultural corridor.

The mural is inspired by William Kamkwamba, from Malawi. The film William and the Windmill documents the story of William’s commitment to change life in his village by creating a clean energy source from cast-off and repurposed materials. The documentary was Grand Jury Award winner at the 2013 SXSW Festival. There’s also a children’s picture book about William.

Octavio states that, “Harvesting the Winds of Change is saying we can change if we seek creativity and community instead selfishness and mediocrity.”

Thank you, Octavio, for bringing your work to Walton Arts Center and the Sprayetteville Street Art Festival!

How Your Support of WAC Impacts Our Community

Walton Arts Center is a non-profit dedicated to providing impactful and educational arts experiences to Northwest Arkansas. When you become a Friend of Walton Arts Center, attend Art of Wine, Masquerade Ball or AMPfest, you are giving our staff the resources they need to do life-changing work in the community.

Former Learning and Engagement intern Rachel Dukes said, “I'm so thankful for the time I spent with the team and am so grateful for the mentorship and leadership I received during that phase of my life! Though my time spent at WAC was short, I'm realizing that the impact those months had on my life was immeasurable.”

That’s the goal of our Learning and Engagement team—to positively impact people’s lives. One way we do this is by partnering with local educators to provide arts learning experiences to students throughout the region.

“Learning has always been at the core of what Walton Arts Center does,”

— Laura Goodwin, Walton Arts Center's vice president for learning and engagement

We believe that all students should have access to formative arts experiences. That’s why we work with local schools to bring students into the theater, artists into the classrooms and empower their teachers to integrate art into their teaching to make lessons creative and interactive.

Experiencing Theater

The Colgate Classroom Series is one of the ways we provide opportunities for students. The series is designed to give students of all ages an opportunity to take an arts field trip to the theater. There are multiple performances to choose from each season including shows like Blue Man Group to educational shows like Digging up Arkansas that effectively teach students the history of Arkansas.

But it doesn’t stop there. Walton Arts Center’s Learning & Engagement team coordinates masterclasses and workshops for the Northwest Arkansas community throughout the year. That means dance students get to spend time with Broadway performers, vocal students get to learn from a cappella legends and the community gets to experience a yoga workshop from a master.

Arts Integration

Walton Arts Center also works with local educators to provide them with professional development opportunities. In 1991, nine partnership teams from Alaska to Arkansas to Massachusetts joined the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in efforts to increase students’ access to the arts through professional development for teachers. Walton Arts Center was among these founding partners. Twenty-seven years later, the non-profit arts organization is still working with teachers, helping them learn how to bring the arts into their classrooms through the Arts With Education Institute and the SmART Residency.

Community Impact

• Since 2001, more than 600,000 students and teachers have been served by our arts education programs

• More than 26,000 students from nearly 90 schools annually experience a live performance at Walton Arts Center as part of the Colgate Classroom Series 

• Each year, nearly 100 teachers and teaching artists learn to use the arts to teach core curriculum subjects like literacy, social studies and science. These exemplary educators brought the arts to more than 1,000 students, kindergarten through high school.

• More than 69,000 students in 75 Arkansas counties have learned about Arkansas History through the arts programs since 2013.

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You Can Help

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, our stages are currently on intermission. If you want to help us continue to do this important work once performances resume, please consider becoming a Friend of Walton Arts Center or by making a donation.

WAC Employee Spotlight: William Penny

At Walton Arts Center, we have a robust community of volunteers who enjoy using their time and talents to support the arts in our community. Some of them are so invested in our mission that they end up becoming employees! William Penny is one of those passionate people.

In high school, William applied for and was accepted to the Youth Volunteer Corps program. This program allows students to work with Walton Arts Center staff and gain experience in different aspects of the performing arts. For William, it was working behind the curtain with the crew.

After his first experience shadowing the crew of a show, William fell in love with working behind the scenes of a theater.

“I first got into theater because I wanted to be an actor, but I quickly realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do,” he said. William became interested in what the crew did and how they made their unseen impression on the audience. “You may see four actors on stage, but there may be 20 people back in the wings making the show happen.”

William saw a future for himself at Walton Arts Center, so he applied for the local crew at 16. But, he found out that he had to be 18 to join the team. However, this did not discourage him. William continued to invest his time and talents at various arts organizations in NWA. And, two years later on his 18th birthday, he applied to the local crew again and became a Walton Arts Center employee.

William’s favorite part of working on the local crew is the dynamic of the team. “We can come in and do a job, but we also have fun while doing it because we all enjoy each other’s company.”

One of William’s favorite memories was working backstage on Blue Man Group’s new North American tour. This was a unique opportunity because the show was built and launched at Walton Arts Center. “It was just amazing seeing a touring show go from loading in set pieces from all over the country to something that was in touring shape that could go anywhere and everywhere.”

Another memorable moment for William was getting to see The Play That Goes Wrong from the other side of the curtain. “It was really cool after working backstage for seven years getting to see the show from a different perspective, especially with the knowledge I have of what goes on backstage.”

This April, William is celebrating his third anniversary at Walton Arts Center.

WAC Celebrates International Jazz Day

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and April 30th is International Jazz Day! Jazz Appreciation Month (fondly known as "JAM") was created by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2001 to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz for the entire month of April. And although jazz celebrations may look different this year, lovers of the genre are finding ways to observe JAM digitally.

In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. Legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The Institute is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting and producing this annual celebration.

"Jazz has the power to make men forget their differences and come together… Jazz is the personification of transforming overwhelmingly negative circumstances into freedom, friendship, hope, and dignity,” said jazz legend Quincy Jones.

This year, JAM celebrates the dynamic impact of the often-overlooked contributions that women have made to jazz, both on and off the stage. As performers and conductors, educators, producers and directors of jazz festivals, women have made their mark but have continued to struggle for recognition on par with their male counterparts. You can find out more at the JAM website.

Cape Town, South Africa was designated the Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2020, but due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, International Jazz Day celebrations in Cape Town will not take place as scheduled. Nevertheless, International Jazz Day will be celebrated on April 30 online. Resources, information and ideas on how to mark International Jazz Day can be found on jazzday.com, a website where jazz lovers and practitioners are invited to post their videos and audio recordings.

In Northwest Arkansas, jazz is alive and well even in the middle of a pandemic, and has shifted to the virtual world. If you are a jazz aficionado or interested in learning more about the American contribution to world culture, check out the following resources:

The Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society (NAJS)

NAJS is a non-profit that was founded in 1992. Their mission is “to present, preserve, promote and celebrate the great American art form known as jazz through education, concert presentation and artist promotion.”

The NAJS is a membership organization that has been a community leader in presenting world-class jazz performers in a variety of venues in Northwest Arkansas. The NAJS provides an email service called “JAZZ EVENTS” so you can stay informed on jazz happenings in our region, the KUAF Summer Jazz Concert Series and the NW Arkansas Jazz All-Star Youth Ensemble. Find more information on their website.

KUAF Radio

KUAF is a National Public Radio affiliate featuring NPR news, classical music, jazz, folk, blues and other public radio programs. KUAF 2 features classical music 24 hours a day and KUAF 3 airs jazz around the clock.

Shades of Jazz

Walton Arts Center’s jazz coordinator Robert Ginsburg has been producing KUAF's jazz program, Shades of Jazz, since 1980. The program focuses on a blend of contemporary and classic jazz recordings (from Armstrong to Zawinul and Adderly to Zorn) with features that include new releases, interviews with touring artists, in-studio performances and guest hosts from our region. Listen to the program on 91.3 FM Fridays at 10 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m on KUAF 3.

The Jazz Scoop

The Jazz Scoop is a two-hour radio program that features a blend of iconic jazz artists and little-discovered musicians from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and beyond. On this show, you will hear Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and modern artists like Donny McCaslin and Maria Schneider. Host Rob Wells brings vintage vinyl recordings and new releases from local and regional musicians. You can listen on 91.3 FM on Sundays at 11 a.m. on KUAF 3.

Community Music School

An outreach program of the University of Arkansas Music Department, a division of the William J. Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the Community Music School offers high quality, year-round, individual and group music instruction for students of all ages and ability levels. Their programs include NWA Youth Jazz Workshop, NWA Adult Jazz Workshop and the Fayetteville Jazz Festival. Find more information on their website.

Walton Arts Center 

Walton Arts Center has been on the front line of jazz music programming for the past 28 years. From Herbie Hancock to Diana Krall, Walton Arts Center has hosted the brightest stars of Jazz with the Starrlight Jazz Series. Walton Arts Center also partners with the NWAJS to help high schoolers learn about jazz music from working musicians with the NWA Jazz All-Stars.

Teaching Arkansas History Through Theater

At Walton Arts Center, our mission is to engage our community through inspiring arts programming. One way we pursue this goal is by promoting arts opportunities in schools across the state.

When talking with educators throughout the region, Walton Arts Center staff noticed a common thread; students were not engaging with Arkansas history. When our education team heard about this problem, they knew that the arts could help bridge the gap. So, they enlisted the expertise of Arkansas playwright Mike Thomas and Trike Theater to create Digging up Arkansas, an original play designed to teach Arkansas history to students in a new and exciting way.

Through music and interactive theater experiences, the play brings Arkansas history to life right in front of students’ eyes. The show takes distant concepts and facts and transforms them into a tangible experience that students can latch onto and learn from.

“As a non-profit, the revenue from our ticket sales, along with support from Friends of Walton Arts Center, donors and sponsors go to support educational programming that ensures the arts remain an essential part of the lives of students, teachers and families. ”

The show had its first performance in 2009 and has since been performed in each of Arkansas’ 75 counties in front of 30,000 third through fifth-grade students. From experience, we knew the show was a success because the kids loved it. However, we wanted to measure just how effective it was in meeting educational goals.

With help from professors at the University of Missouri and Texas A&M, Walton Arts Center researched how students benefited from watching Digging Up Arkansas. The published study proves what we already knew to be true - the arts can be an effective tool for engaging students and addressing their unique learning needs.

The study showed that those who had seen Digging Up Arkansas demonstrated an increase in historical context knowledge, historical empathy, interest in live theater and interest in learning history. The study also found that while increasing interest in history and theater, the show also effectively delivered the content from the state’s curriculum standards.

 “These findings demonstrate that partnerships between schools and arts organizations can offer students remarkable benefits. Cultural institutions like Walton Arts Center, teaching artists and arts integration specialists can improve students’ education with experiences that schools struggle to provide on their own,” said Lauren Goodwin, vice president for learning and engagement at Walton Arts Center.

Digging Up Arkansas engaged all students who saw it, but it had an extra impact on minority students who benefited more in terms of an increased interest in arts and history. Prior studies found that historically under-served groups are less likely to be exposed to enriching arts experiences. Partnerships with performing arts organizations like Walton Arts Center are crucial to exposing students to experiences like Digging Up Arkansas. Without arts opportunities in the classroom, many students would never get to experience the benefits and joy of seeing live performing arts.

Studies show that in recent years, schools have seen a decreased emphasis on arts and humanities curriculum. As a part of our mission, Walton Arts Center stands in that gap to provide life-changing arts experiences to students.

If you want to help us do this important work, please consider becoming a Friend of Walton Arts Center or making a one-time donation.

WAC Gives Back

Tis’ the season for doing good by supporting organizations that serve our community.

In December, the staff at Walton Arts Center partnered with five local organizations to help give back during the holidays - The Walmart Museum, Toys for Tots, NWA Children’s Shelter, NWA Books for Kids and NWA Food Bank.

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Toys on display in our Holiday window were donated to Toys for Tots.

Walton Arts Center’s holiday display in the lobby was filled with vintage toys, frost-covered trees and everything needed for a winter wonderland. All of the toys and were donated by The Walmart Museum of Bentonville, including a wooden sled, board games, pedal cars and a Radio Flyer Wagon. The display was up in the Walker Atrium from Nov. 22 to Dec. 23. After the last performance on the year WAC staff and volunteers from the current Leadership Fayetteville class gathered the display items and delivered them to NWA Toys for Tots, right in time for Santa to load them in his sleigh.

An annual tradition for Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP staff is to collect donations for Northwest Arkansas area non-profits as part of the holiday party held in December. This year, the NWA Children’s Shelter was the chosen recipient. Employees could either donate money or items that were requested by the shelter. Several employees were able to play Santa and use the monetary donations to purchase more of the requested items for the shelter including toys, snacks, paper products and winter coats.

In conjunction with two family-friendly holiday traditions, The Snowman Concert with WAC & SoNA and the annual screening of The Polar Express, Walton Arts Center partnered with NWA Books for Kids and hosted a holiday book drive. NWA Books for Kids seeks to build reading skills and a love of books among children at an early age by placing books in their homes and encouraging their parents to read together. Books collected during the drive will be given to nonprofits in our area that serve children and their families.

With a spirit of giving, the Walton Arts Center Communication team decided to forgo in their yearly “secret Santa” exchange and instead donate to the NWA Food Bank. The team donated enough money to provide 1,100 meals for NWA residents in need through the local nonprofit.

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The staff at Walton Arts Center have a mindset focused on giving back to our community. We are grateful for all of the support that we receive throughout the year, and are more than happy to help other organizations that serve our community.

History and Legacy on Display - Memories Worth Sharing Returns to Joy Pratt Markham Gallery

Walton Arts Center’s History Boxes by local artist Kathy Thompson have returned to the Joy Pratt Markham Gallery in an exhibition titled Memories Worth Sharing.

Originally commissioned for the nonprofit organization’s 20th anniversary in 2012, the exhibition consists of 20 mixed-media assemblages that commemorate Walton Arts Center’s impact since it opened. Each box uses the power of found objects to convey a sense of time, place, self and community, all focused around the mission and history of Walton Arts Center.

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Memories are worth sharing, and patrons can add theirs to the collection. From now until December 1, patrons can donate a small object that symbolizes the impact that a performing arts or visual arts experience at Walton Arts Center has had on their life. Objects should be placed in the receptacle in the Joy Pratt Markham Gallery or left with the box office if the gallery is closed.

Thompson will create the newest box from a selection of the donated materials. This newest History Box celebrating collaboration and community memories will be on display December 10-31.

Walton Arts Center was created when the community of Northwest Arkansas rallied around a vision and worked collaboratively for the good of the region. Since its opening in 1992, each person who has walked through the doors has added their experience, laughter, energy and memories to the collective space of Walton Arts Center. The Memories Worth Sharing exhibition explores Walton Arts Center memories through the lens of foundations, programming, giving back, experience and art forms.

Memories Worth Sharing

Joy Pratt Markham Gallery at Walton Arts Center

Joy Pratt Markham Gallery is open Monday through Friday from noon until 2 pm and one hour prior to most performances. Tours may be scheduled by calling 479.571.2766.

Celebrate Lights of the Ozarks at Walton Arts Center

The lights are going up and the most magical season is here. Celebrate the Lights of the Ozarks parade at Walton Arts Center on Friday, Nov. 22 from 5-8 pm.

Warm up with hot cocoa and snap photos in the decorated lobby to kick off the holiday season.

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Each year Fayetteville Parks and Recreation workers spend over 3,300 hours decorating the Downtown Square with over 400,000 lights. The amazing winter wonderland of lights on the Downtown Square begin Friday, November 22, at 6 p.m. with the lighting night parade. And this year, the parade route is extending with a pass by the Fayetteville Public Library, Historic Downtown Square and down Dickson Street, with a final turn by Walton Arts Center.

During the parade, Walton Arts Center’s team will have a hot chocolate stand on the Tyson Plaza and A Christmas Story themed gift tags and coloring sheets. Bring your family to sit out on the steps for the best view up Dickson Street, take some family photos in the lobby with all of the holiday decor and if someone needs to hit the restroom, Walton Arts Center will be open to the public.

Delight in this holiday tradition at the corner of Dickson and West with all of the amenities to make it a fun holiday night out.

Lights of the Ozarks Parade

The Lights of the Ozarks parade will weave through downtown Fayetteville at 6 p.m. on the evening of Friday, November 22nd, with a final pass in front of Walton Arts Center’s Tyson Plaza.  

Print-At-Home and Walton Arts Center App Place Theater At Your Fingertips

Purchase tickets on-the-go — without worrying about making it to will call or losing tickets — with print-at-home tickets and the Walton Arts Center Ticket App.

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Patrons can now get their tickets emailed to them. The default delivery method for Walton Arts Center tickets purchased after November 1 will be email.

That means after placing a ticket order, you will receive two emails. One will be an order confirmation. The other is a PDF event ticket sent from info@waltonartscenter.org. The ticket can be printed at home or saved on a cell phone and simply scanned at the door.

However, patrons can still choose to have tickets held at will call at no additional charge or have tickets mailed for a $3 processing fee. Orders with 10 or more tickets, season subscriptions or group tickets, will still be mailed or held for pick up at will call for no additional charge

Use our mobile app to purchase tickets and receive day-of-show notifications. Walton Arts Center Tickets App is now available from Google Play™ or the Apple® App Store. The app allows patrons to purchase tickets at either Walton Arts Center or the Walmart AMP one week after a show goes on sale to the public. Patrons can also view information about shows at both venues, and by turning on push-notifications they will be able to stay updated on the latest weather alerts, show information and special offers. Search “Walton Arts Center Tickets” to download on the App Store and Google Play. For any questions on ticket delivery options, please call our box office at 479.443.5600.

Walton Arts Center
Box Office Info

Monday-Friday / 10am-6pm (lobby hours 10am-2pm)
Saturday / noon-4pm
Box Office #: 479.443.5600

Give The Gift of Live Performance This Season

Save the hassle of going store to store and impulse buying your way through Your holiday list. Make one stop at Walton Arts Center and give everyone what they want this season. And the best part, the more you buy the more you save!

Take a look at some upcoming shows that are a great start to your holiday shopping cart. From family-fun performances, date nights or even shows for the littlest patrons, give the gift of excellent experiences instead of things and get a great deal with a Create Your Own Subscription.

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A Christmas Story: The Musical

Dec. 10-15, 2019 | 8 shows!

Nominated for three 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical, the Associated Press calls A Christmas Story: The Musical “a joyous Christmas miracle,” while The New York Times writes “I was dazzled. You’d have to have a Grinch-sized heart not to feel a smile spreading across your face.”

Great for all ages!

Piano Battle

Jan. 30, 2020

The brainchild of internationally acclaimed pianists Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis, Piano Battle sees the duo go head-to-head on stage, charming and enchanting the audience with a variety of classical pieces. The show is divided into several rounds, each featuring a certain musical style.

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

Feb. 27, 2020

Founded in 1974 by a group of ballet enthusiasts, The Trocks, as the dancers are affectionately known, are a company of critically acclaimed professional male dancers performing the full range of ballet and modern dance repertoire, but incorporating and exaggerating the foibles, accidents and underlying incongruities of serious dance.

Jesse Cook

Jan. 10, 2020

After 16 years of musical training, Jesse Cook’s ability as a performer came to widespread public attention when a cable television company played his recordings as piped in background music for the channel guide.

Delivering notes like no other musician in this field, the twists and turns of genres and mood swings articulate a wide range of emotions that make Jesse Cook’s performances an especially moving musical experience.

The Peking Acrobats

Feb. 25, 2020

The newest generation of Peking Acrobats mixes high-tech special effects and awe-inspiring acrobatic feats with traditional Chinese music and instruments, creating an exuberant show with the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival.

They perform daring maneuvers and display their technical prowess with such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting and gymnastics, pushing the limits of human ability, and defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility and control.

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood LIVE!

Feb. 8, 2020

“Won’t you be my neighbor?” Daniel Tiger and all of his friends from the beloved PBS KIDS television series and Fred Rogers Productions are hopping aboard Trolley and heading to Fayetteville!

This live theatrical production is filled with music, dancing, laughter and “grr-ific” surprises that will warm the hearts of multiple generations.

Best for ages 3+

VoiceJam Competition

April 4, 2020

Come cheer on these harmonizing, beat-boxing, mind-blowing groups and cast your vote for aca-fan favorite!

Bollywood Boulevard

April 23, 2020

The vibrancy, emotion and heart-pounding beat of Hindi cinema comes to life on stage with Bollywood Boulevard! Dance, live music, storytelling and stunning visuals combine to create a non-stop journey through more than 100 years of Bollywood movies.

Windmill Theatre Company’s Beep

May 1-2, 2020

What is this annoying interruption to Mort’s breakfast molly melon? Who is this noisy robot girl, and how will she find her home? With Windmill’s trademark design, gentle storytelling, music and puppetry, Beep is a slightly sideways tale about unexpected friendship, finding where you fit and learning to mix it up a little.

Best for ages 2+

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Buy Now and Save $ on each ticket!

With so many great options, it’s hard to choose just one show! With the Create Your Own subscription package, when you buy more, you save more. It’s that simple!

3 show Package - $2 off each

5 show package - $3 off each

7 Show package - $5 off each

Theater Celebrating Theater - Behind the Curtain of an Award-Winning Arts Program

Supporting artmakers in our vibrant community is a priority for Walton Arts Center, and in June Artist’s Laboratory Theatre’s Southside Civic Lab received the Robert E. Gard Award for exemplary work at the intersection of the arts and community life. ALT was nominated by Laura Goodwin, VP of Walton Arts Center’s Learning & Engagement.

Founder and Artistic Director of the Artist’s Laboratory Theatre, Erika Wilhite, uses community input as a guide as she develops scripts and creates work that explores local topics through immersive performance experiences. Wilhite is also a dramaturg, writer and director for ALT. Her recent projects include South Side Civic Lab, Bango! and The New Now. She received her MFA in Theatre from University of Central Florida and BFA in Theatre from University of Central Oklahoma. She is a facilitator and consultant who uses the tools of theatre to work with communities, organizations and public service agencies in the areas of capacity-building around conflict resolution and cooperative partnerships.  

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“Socially engaged art is up close and personal and only works when the relationship between artist and community is authentic. The Artist’s Laboratory Theatre project impressed me because it fostered constructive community dialog and change through an art form. I wanted to shine a spotlight on the company’s work and to remind us how powerful the arts can be.”

- Laura Goodwin, VP of Walton Arts Center’s Learning & Engagement

Description of the Project:

To increase awareness and dialogue about issues of neighborhood gentrification in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Artist’s Laboratory Theatre developed the Southside Civic Lab project. Project outputs were collaboratively developed and delivered over a period of 16 months through expansive research, interviews and focus groups with local people who were experiencing food, transportation and housing insecurity in Fayetteville’s Southside neighborhood. “Listening parties” addressed topics affecting the community and offered radical hospitality including food and childcare. "Neighborhood ambassadors" identified barriers and inequities for people who rely on public transit via research driven, task-focused bus rides. A three-day community visioning festival offered workshops on citizen-led community development and civic engagement. Project events and experiences informed an original play script titled "Good Person of South Fayetteville," which was performed by ALT at site-specific venues including during public bus commutes. The project was supported by the Our Town grant through the National Endowment for the Arts.

Project Impact:

Southside Civic Lab project generated impressive outcomes for the neighborhood, a historically low-income minority community, at a time of rapid gentrification. The project united foundational neighbors with new homeowners, city officials and community services providers to explore shared concerns and inspired transformational citizen engagement by underrepresented people.

First-time attendance at public housing planning meetings by Southside neighbors resulted in a change of meeting structure to accommodate citizen input. In addition, the project empowered neighbors to make impressive commitments to civic duties; one ran for City Council while another joined the Housing Authority Board of Directors via appointment by the city’s mayor; this marked a comprehensive change in board membership and operational staffing.

Beyond the project’s scope, neighbors used project-learned skills to implement traffic-calming solutions in a busy roadway. The project stimulated change to public bus routes when it revealed better sites for stops and the need for weather shelters; local routes were redrawn and bus stop shelters added.

Through the Southside Civic Lab project, Artist's Laboratory Theatre created necessary conditions to support a  profoundly changing neighborhood to know one another better, to  transform their own community, and to improve self-identified, every day needs through arts integrated strategies.

Q&A with Erika Wilhite

How did this project originate?

After moving our headquarters to South Fayetteville, we hosted several listening sessions with the residents of the neighborhood to glean insight on the kind of programs would benefit the area. ALT develops scripts based on themes through long-term community engagement, and we were beginning a new project, so we needed a new theme. We learned from our neighbors that housing insecurity and homelessness was a major concern since it was prevalent in the South Fayetteville. We continued those conversations for a year and half as we developed the script the Good Person of South Fayetteville. 

What are your biggest "wins" surrounding the Southside Civic Lab - awards, experiences, conversations, etc?

We created the conditions for conversations on complex economic, social and cultural topics. We workshopped the script with audiences throughout the process, and each performance was followed by a facilitated conversation that included social welfare employees, city officials and impacted community members. Audiences were made aware of the current conditions of homelessness by hearing real stories from their neighbors living without shelter.

 What is your goal for this project in relation to our community - now and moving forward?

The goal was to create a play while getting our community plugged into the issues. The last stage of this project is the production of Good Person of South Fayetteville in summer 2020. It will be staged on the Ozark Regional Transit buses in site-specific locations around South Fayetteville. Moving forward, we are using this Civic Lab model for our next topic. We will spend the next year engaging communities in NWA on the topic of employment. We will develop a script through a similar method, through listening parties, interviews and community audits, but we will expand our reach to Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville in this next project. 

What are you most proud of?

In addition to sharing the script in pieces with public audiences, we did table readings of the script with the clients of Genesis and 7 Hills, who performed the play as actors and gave their feedback about script edits. I am super proud of how that process empowered them take control of the narrative. 

What are your "next steps?"

 Kicking off the NWA Civic Lab. 

Back Stage Access – Behind the Scenes at Our Wedding Styled Shoot

The area’s premier vendors all met on the Walton Arts Center’s main stage to put on a production like never before! Full of drama, romance and beautiful images, the wedding styled shoot came to life. More photos are on their way, as well as information on how to book your special day at Walton Arts Center!

Recapping an amazing photo-shoot, our team reached out to a few of the incredible vendors to share their experience, style and what it’s like to work at WAC - a big thanks to everyone who created theater wedding magic!

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Catering Unlimited

• We all come from different backgrounds and perceive food in different ways. Our food styles range from southern comfort food to ornate gourmet fare with over flowing charcuterie to Spanish style cuisine. Just one style couldn’t describe us!

• We love seeing food bring people together! Sharing a meal with friends and family is a wedding tradition that will never go out of style. We love working with clients to create a menu that truly reflects them for their special day. We are a full-service catering company, so the options are unlimited.

• We love the Walton Arts Center as a venue and facility because they have an incredible work space with all of the catering necessities, but more importantly we love the WAC staff! Each person that we’ve worked closely with over the years has been organized, friendly, diligent and professional. We appreciate their commitment to making each event that takes place a success!

She Said Yes Bridal

She Said Yes Bridal is a locally owned bridal boutique in Northwest Arkansas with a passion for people, beautiful gowns, and loving what we do!  We believe in going above and beyond the customer service experience while providing an exclusive collection of gowns in a range of sizes and silhouettes.

Aenimate Media Productions

How would you characterize your style?

I aspire to capture images in an interesting way, and edit them together to engage the viewer and stimulate one’s creativeness. Many different things and styles inspire me, but I especially enjoy creating vivid and dramatic visual styles. I try to marry those visuals with music or sound that amplifies the feeling or message being conveyed. 

What do you love about weddings and the unique services that you offer?

What I love about weddings is how personal they are to the people getting married, and how that experience is shared with their families and friends. So many strong feelings and emotions take place throughout those moments, and if I’m lucky enough to capture some of that and bundle it up into a keepsake that stirs those same emotions, I’ve done my part. I really enjoy working with couples in helping giving them something that can last their lifetime, that they can watch together reliving those moments from their special day.

JM Designs

JM Designs is “creative,” but that simply does not do her or her work justice. Inspired, thoughtful, elegant, striking, elevated and unforgettable. In a industry saturated with Pinterest ideals and inspirations, Jo takes it a step further and asks “how can we make it extraordinary?” Her eye for design and masterful understanding of color sets her apart as an artist. Her excitement for work that pushes creative boundaries and her commitment to creating beautiful events and weddings set her apart as a professional. Her candor and imagination are the perfect asset to any bride trying to break the mold, or simply breath life into the vision you have for your most perfect day.

What do you enjoy about working with Walton Arts Center (WAC)?

I see so much opportunity in a venue like WAC. It’s not like any other venue in our area! The atmosphere is nostalgic yet a blank slate all at once. Each bride will be different, and each wedding design will have its own heartbeat in a space that lends itself to creativity the way WAC does. Florals, atmospheric lights, table design - it all plays important roles in a space like this, and comes together in an elegant and climactic way that I just haven’t experienced anywhere else.  My week spent working on the Art of Wine event gave me the unique opportunity of setting up my studio in a space and working closely with the WAC team and I have to say that their professionalism and attention to detail was not only inspiring, but also a breath of fresh air.  The passion for what they do was evident in their work as well as their attitudes.  By the end of the week, everyone was exhausted, but still filled with joy and pride... I can’t wait to return to that environment again soon!

What can you do/create at WAC that is special?

Here’s what I know about a WAC bride - she values originality. No one who has their wedding or reception in a state of the art theater is wanting traditional. No, their vision is big, bold, and unique to their taste and personality. I thrive on creating wedding design rooted in the bold, extraordinary, and the unique with exceptional value and service - and taking my bride’s breath away with the final product!

Vinson Images

How would you characterize your style?

Dynamic - cinematic - documentary. We strive to tell true and authentic stories in an interesting and vivid way. We also love to create one of a kind piece of art that can be hung above a fireplace mantle.

What do you love about weddings and the unique services that you offer?

We love showing people what their story looks like, but most importantly, we love to remind them what their wedding felt like. This is the main reason we have a documentary approach to weddings. When our couples look at an image, we want them to remember what that moment felt like and not remember us posing or directing them.

 What do you enjoy about working with Walton Arts Center (WAC)?

The space that WAC has plays hand-in-hand with the type of work we like to create. We normally describe our work as cinematic, but that word could easily be exchanged for theatrical. No one does theater better then WAC!  WAC is fantastic at making someone's wedding vision come to life easily!

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Photo: Vinson Images

Your Day. Your Show.

Make Walton Arts Center the venue for your Grand Production.

Safe & Secure Ticket Buying for Walton Arts Center and The Walmart AMP

It’s the day of the concert, you’ve got your ticket and You are about to head out the door for a perfect night out. the Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP team wants to help make your performance dreams a reality. The first step is making sure you have a valid ticket!

Scalping, the sale of a ticket for an event at a price higher than the face value or the sale of a non-valid ticket, is an illegal act in Arkansas. It’s something that every venue battles. And every patron should follow some simple steps to avoid scalped tickets entirely.

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Tips for Safe Ticket Purchasing:

Purchase only from the venue or their authorized ticketing system. If you don’t know what the authorized ticketing system is for a venue, visit their website first to find that out.

While you are there, do some simple research before you purchase!

• Check on ticket availability from the venue first.

  • That way you know if the show is sold out or if tickets are still available. Sold out shows can run the risk of more scalped tickets on third-party sites because sellers know that patrons are desperate to get tickets.

• Also check the price of tickets from the venue - so know what they should cost and don’t overpay.

If you still decide to purchase from a third-party or resale sites, exercise caution: When doing online searches for tickets – be aware of where those links are sending you.

• Scalpers pay to be listed higher in search. Venues usually can’t – especially non profits

• It’s a good practice to skip the ads listed at the top and actually go to the organic listing.

Also, be a smart consumer when purchasing tickets:

• Don’t advertise how desperate you are to get tickets. That includes posts on social media or in the event listing on social media. That makes you a target for scalpers to reach out to you.

• And if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you can’t verify it through the venue or if they offer to take any alternative payment method (Amazon gift cards, etc) then pass on it.

Purchasing Tickets for Walmart AMP and Walton Arts Center Events

Walton Arts Center Tickets is the only authorized ticket seller for events at Walton Arts Center, Nadine Baum Studios and the Walmart AMP. In some instances, tours will offer special deals through services like Living Social and Groupon. Those tickets are purchased by the service from our box office and are valid offers. If you ever have questions about whether a ticket offer is valid, you can always call our box office at 479.443.5600.

Please be aware that event tickets for Walton Arts Center venues purchased from third party ticketing sites may be counterfeit and in such cases would not be honored for admission.

In order to avoid problems with counterfeit or invalid tickets, we encourage patrons to ONLY purchase tickets through Walton Arts Center Tickets. Tickets can be purchased online at waltonartscenter.org, in-person at Walton Arts Center’s Box Office, via phone at 479.443.560 or on the WAC Tickets app.

If you’ve purchased scalped tickets - here are a few things you can do…

Know Your Rights

According to Arkansas Code 5-63-201, updated April 2015, re-selling tickets to an entertainment event at a venue in the state of Arkansas at greater than face value plus reasonable fees for processing is illegal. These scalpers have committed a crime to which you are the victim, and you are well within your rights seek retribution.

Steps You Can Take

• Contact your credit card company or your bank as soon as possible and start the process of disputing the charge.

Please note that in some circumstances it might even be prudent to cancel the card used, as the personal information the unauthorized ticket seller has obtained from you cannot be guaranteed as secure.

• Contact the website where you purchased the ticket to alert them about the fraud and request a refund.

Be aware that in some circumstances, they may offer only a partial refund making the amount paid equal to the “box office sale price” plus originally charged fees. You may refuse this partial refund; it is your right to demand a full refund.

• Contact the Consumer Protection Department of the Attorney General’s Office by visiting their website at www.ArkansasAG.gov or by calling (501) 682-2341 or (toll free) (800) 482-8982.

A complaint with the AR Attorney General can be easily filed against the agency or individual. The form can be found online at: http://www.arkansasag.gov/file-a-consumer-complaint/

You may also file a complaint with the Attorney General of the state in which the scalper is located.

• Contact Jennifer Dobrowolski, Box Office Manager for Walton Arts Center, at (479) 571-2709 or jdobrowolski@waltonartscenter.org with the details of your transaction, so we can update our records and do everything within our power to help you get your money back and prevent future fraud activity.

Walton Arts Center Ticketing Policies

The Walton Arts Center is the only authorized ticket seller for events at Walton Arts Center, Nadine Baum Studios and the Walmart AMP. Please exercise caution in purchasing tickets. If you have a question regarding authorized sales, please contact us at (479) 443-5600.

• Be aware that any event tickets purchased from a source other than the Walton Arts Center or the Walmart AMP may not be honored for admission.

• Tickets held at will call for an event require a matching, valid ID to pick up.

• Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP are not responsible for third party resell tickets.

Our team at Walton Arts Center and the Walmart AMP do everything we can to prevent ticket fraud, and strongly discourage our patrons from purchasing tickets through ticket resellers or third parties.

If you have any questions, we encourage you to call the Box Office at (479) 443-5600 before you buy.