3W Magazine Podcast: Anne Jackson

What fuels the unwavering spirit of a community arts organization as it evolves through decades of change? Join us as we sit down with Anne Jackson from Arts One Presents to trace the captivating journey of this Northwest Arkansas gem, formerly known as the Arts Center of the Ozarks. Anne opens up about the thoughtful rebranding process, significant name changes and the transformative initiatives that have shaped its legacy. From Anne's extensive career in the nonprofit sector to the organization's rich history dating back to 1964, you will discover the profound impact of community engagement and dynamic networking in the local arts scene.

Our conversation takes a passionate dive into the world of community theater, celebrating productions like "Mamma Mia" and "Beauty and the Beast." We explore the collaborative efforts behind these captivating performances and the educational partnerships that help volunteers grow into professional roles. The resilience of the arts community is highlighted, particularly how they’ve adapted to challenges such as natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. We'll share heartwarming stories of how local arts continue to thrive and bring joy to the community, even in the face of adversity.

Delight in the behind-the-scenes magic of public art installations, including the viral 14-foot-tall crocheted mushroom sculpture that has become a symbol of joy and resilience. Learn about its creation, from the initial concept inspired by childhood memories in the Redwood forest to the intricate collaboration with local metalworkers and the innovative solutions to weather durability. Celebrate the vibrant nonprofit and arts scene in Northwest Arkansas, where creativity knows no bounds and community pride runs deep. This episode is a testament to the power of community, creativity and the enduring legacy of the arts in our lives.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody, welcome to the 3W Podcast home
of the who, what, where I havemy girlfriend with me today,
anne Jackson.
Anne say hi, hi, everybody Anneis with.
Tell us who you're with.
I'm with.
Arts One Presents, yes, lots ofdifferent names.
We have had lots of differentnames, formerly ACO.

(00:22):
Yes, arts Center of the Ozarkswas our kind of most you know
recent moniker.
But the Arts Center of theOzarks actually started as the
Springdale Music Club in the 60s, yes, and kind of over time
changed names and took on someother kinds of programming and

(00:42):
arts and music and differentthings, acquired buildings over
time, became the Arts center ofthe Ozarks that everyone knew
and loved since the 70s.
I know I have this on my notes,we're going to dive further
into it, but I'm like, yes,because I am a huge fan of the
old ACO logo.
This organization's actuallythe oldest arts nonprofit in

(01:04):
Northwest Arkansas.
Oh, stop, that's amazing andreally ongoing.
Since then, you know, took onlike different names and changed
different names ever since.
But even you know, every yearyou have to as a nonprofit, you
have to file with the state ofArkansas for your like, you know
, federal employment number orsomething.
Every year you do every youhave to like reapply or

(01:24):
something.
Every year you do every youhave to like reapply or
something.
Okay, anyway, yeah, um, butours has been the same since,
like 1967, yes, you know, andit's just stayed the same.
The name updated, but, like our, you know, federal ein has
stayed the same for a reallylong time.
What?
What a blessing.
Yes, can you imagine?

(01:44):
That's been really nice.
In 2021, we officially becameArts One Presents and that kind
of all happened out of the saleof the building itself that was
the Art Center of the Ozarks.
It's now called the Medium inSpringdale.
Yes, now called the medium inSpringdale.

(02:08):
Yes, and we kind of decided torebrand a little bit and take on
some larger public visual artsinitiatives as well.
So we still do communitytheater, yes, and then we still
do public art works with visualartists.
I want to touch on that.
I want to touch on, like the,not the museum, the mushroom.
We're going to touch on the,not the museum, the mushroom.
We're going to touch on themushroom.

(02:28):
The mushroom, yes, the fungusthat goes viral, humongi, or
what are we?
Humongous fungus, humongousfungus, thank you.
I'm like, yes, we're going totouch on all those things, yes,
but let's start with how did youand I meet?
It's been a long time.
How did you and I meet?
It's been a long time.
It has been a long time You'vebeen in the nonprofit world when
I met you yeah, I mean, I knowyou still are, but a different
nonprofit yeah, it's been about.

(02:49):
I think I've been in ournonprofit sector now for going
on 20 years.
Okay, in Northwest Arkansas andI started actually at Big big
sisters of Northwest Arkansasand you were not with them when
I.
I was probably a single parentscholarship so I was with big

(03:10):
brothers, big sisters, for aboutfour to four and a half years.
I was with single parentscholarship fund for a hundred,
about a hundred, yeah, um, causethat's where I yeah, it was a
long time we were.
You know it was was really fun.
I worked with Jody Dillday andwe rebranded a lot of the events
, um, and and the organizationthrough that time too.

(03:31):
So that was super fun andreally kind of was my
introduction into branding rightand branding an organization,
branding events, and I just hadTyler Clark on, yes, so I'm like
small world, a dear friend ofmine who runs that organization
and the you know merger thatended up happening.
Those conversations werestarted when, you know, jodi and

(03:51):
I were there so a long time agoand actually, um, when I left
single parent scholarship fund,I went to work at crystal
bridges for almost six years andso and we worked together on
BFF, we did film festival.
Yeah, I've kind of had my handsand feet in a lot of different
things over the years and italways revolves around our
amazing nonprofit sector here.

(04:12):
Right, it's bananas.
Yeah, like without it Iwouldn't have a job, you
wouldn't have a job, I wouldn'thave a social life.
That is so true.
That is how 3W was born.
That's right.
It's because, yeah, it'sbecause it just everybody was
planning on top of each otherand somebody needed to form some
safe space, essentially likewhere nonprofits could bring

(04:33):
their events, because we didn'thave a giant social life outside
of Razorbacks when I moved herein 2006.
And I'm like, what's a gala?
We didn't call them galas backwhere I was from, and so I was
like I thought of hoop skirtsand gone with the wind, and I
didn't know.
A gala meant everything fromcowboy boots to formals and
everyone had a gala and that wasthe social life, no trails.

(05:07):
Honestly, my introduction to thenonprofit world in general was
when I did my internship incollege.
I went to college here at theUniversity of Arkansas and I was
a public relations major and Idid my internship at Clear
Channel Radio and promotions andI worked with Rhonda Brammell,
who is still in this area, and Istill know her and love her,
and we did promotions togetherfor about a year for all of the

(05:29):
Clear Channel radio stations andI got to go to all the events,
but one of the things that theradio station sponsored was the
American Cancer Society CattleBarons Ball and I got to help.
Was that the fancy one wherethey would bring in the crazy
designers?
No, I don't think so.
I'm making something completelyup.
Well, at least when I was uminvolved on the committee that

(05:51):
you know one year this was early2000s, okay, um, there were
lots of cowboy boots, um, and itwas outdoors, and so I'm not
really remembering too muchfanciness, but it was a big
event, okay, silent auction andthat kind of thing, and so that
was really my big introductioninto this is a nonprofit.
This is kind of how they, youknow, function a little bit.

(06:12):
These are the events that theyhave and then, of course, you
know, working for anothernational nonprofit and Big
Brothers, big Sisters, you know,got another taste of the kind
of events that they do.
I was in charge of bowl for kidssake, so got to know all of the
Northwest Arkansas bowlingalleys really well for a few
years and that was great.

(06:32):
But you know like you just meetso many people in so many
different sectors of ourcommunity by being in the
nonprofit world.
So I would say, like yournetworks are just so broad that,
yes, and you want to go toother people's events and
support them because they'reyour colleagues and friends
Absolutely, and then becausethere's also causes near and

(06:55):
dear to your heart that youmight not work for but you want
to go and support, it's like thenonprofit is half a bacon, it
is.
That's totally true.
That's totally true.
Yeah, oh, my gosh, I love that.
So then, okay, after CrystalBridges after Crystal Bridges
was Bentonville Film Festival,and so, um, I worked uh on on

(07:15):
that project for a couple ofyears.
Um, and then was this uh,opportunity to work with the
board of what at the time wasthe art center of the Ozarks, to
kind of help them reimaginewhat the organization could look
like without owning their ownbuilding and theater, but still
doing theater, and they fell inlove with you and begged you.

(07:36):
You know, sometimes you justtalk yourself into a job without
actually meaning to oh sorry,but then you know you're like
man, well, I am already investedin this and it's been a few
months and OK.
So, yeah, you know, I think Iactually said to a couple of
board members like, ok, I will,I will help, for I'll do this
for a year, you know, and threeyears later I was just going to

(07:58):
say is it three years plus OK,actually, yes, I've been
involved with them in somecapacity for three and a half
years now, coming off the heelsof the 2020 intermission that
we're going to talk about.
Yeah, yeah, exactly, becausethis was in 2021.
And then we did a very quickrebrand, worked with a local
designer who was awesome to workwith Brittany Phillips, and

(08:24):
rebranded this, you know,organization with a lot of
thoughtfulness about where theorganization had been, where the
organization was going and howthe community really was
impacted and could continue tobe impacted by it.
And what would?
You know, what would be anotherbrand that could withstand the
test of time?

(08:44):
You know, like the ACO did aswell, because I want to dive
into that.
I want to dive into, like,where Arts One came from.
So it's 1964 and we have theSpringdale Music Club.
Yeah, and the Springdale MusicClub and I want to touch on this
after I read this a citywidesummer music festival which

(09:04):
offered piano teachers, theirstudents, writers and visual
artists opportunities to displaytheir talents in a variety of
venues during the week-longevent.
Like they were holding a musicfestival.
Before music festivals werecool, the original Bonner, just
kidding, but yeah, somethinglike that Springdale man.
Springdale really was a pioneerand it has been in a lot of

(09:26):
ways because it's been the homeof this organization, right,
since its inception, right, youknow, and since all the
different forms that it hastaken over the years.
But, yeah, it always has kindof very involved in education
and continues to be, and we cantalk about that too with our
partnership with Springdaleschool still, um, and and and

(09:50):
how we work with them now, um,but yeah, so it's interesting to
me to go back and read thehistory too, about, you know,
their, the teacher involvement,music teacher involvement.
Yeah, I'm like this is so greatand your dad was extremely
involved.
My uncle, I'm so sorry.
Oh, it's my dad's brother.
Oh, I'm so sorry, that's okay,I got it all wrong.
No, no, it's okay.
A family member, a familymember.
They actually look very similar, okay, and my dad actually did

(10:15):
get to travel with my uncle some.
But yes, michael was aprofessional musician, okay,
trumpet.
Uh, wayne jackson of thememphis horns, yeah, like way
fancy um played with likeliterally every one.
That was a classic in the youknow 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s.
You know um from elvis to likeevery time I'm like this is the

(10:37):
coolest history ever.
Yeah, again, kevin bacon, I'mlike, yeah, so cool.
Then that can definitely bedone with wayne jackson for sure
.
Um, I kind of laugh becauseevery song that I hear, no
matter where I am, I'm like, oh,there's uncle wayne.
You can always tell he has verydistinct sound.
But he's also on every classicthat came through from, you know

(10:59):
, aretha franklin to sam anddave, to neil diamond with sweet
caroline, so bananas, so like.
I feel like this was meant to,this was like meant to be that
you would be there, that music'sin your family, yes, and that
you would be at an organizationthat started out as the
Springdale Music and, ironically, too, community theater was in
my family, in my immediatefamily.

(11:19):
I didn't know that part.
I did my first communitytheater show when I was six
years old in West Memphis,arkansas, okay, and my dad was
in it.
It was South Pacific.
My dad was in it, my brotherwas in it, my sister was in it,
the whole family and, of course,me being the smallest, I was
like I obviously have to be init.

(11:40):
I'm not sure that I had anofficial role, but I know I was
an island girl and I got to wearmakeup and it was fantastic,
life changing.
Yes, so I, that was really myfirst kind of introduction on
the stage.
And did you love it or were youshy?
Both, okay, which is still mypersonality.
Okay, um, and I did theater, um, for a few more years in

(12:05):
community theater and then I didtheater through high school and
I also did music in like juniorhigh.
So I was always like musicallyand arts yeah, it really is.
I didn't have much knowledge andintroduction of visual arts
until Crystal Bridges and thenthat's what I call a different
world, like my crash course.

(12:26):
Yeah, yeah, it was like nextlevel, yeah, for sure.
Um, so, but yeah, I, I got mytaste of, I love community
theater.
Um, you won't get me on stageanymore barely to introduce
anyone, um, because that's justnot where I, uh, am comfortable.
Um, I like to.
I to, as I say, I'm not anartist, but I like to make art

(12:48):
happen.
Oh, I like it.
So I like for other people tobe on stage and me just being
behind the scenes.
I love that.
Yeah, you're making dreams cometrue.
That's great.
I love that.
I do love community theater, soI'm not super knowledgeable in
that world.
I saw Mamma Mia at the old ACM,sure, yeah, and then most

(13:09):
recently, into the Woods atArkansas Public Theater,
absolutely, yeah, they do somegreat shows.
I'm just mesmerized that you cantake a giant production, shrink
it down onto a stage the sizeof this paper and make magic and
I'm like, wow, yeah, it's justmesmerizing.
To me it is.

(13:29):
The storytelling in theater,and especially musical theater,
is very important because itdoes.
You know, I like art thatstarts conversations and, in
different ways, can like helppeople understand a concept or
gain a little bit more insightinto something or other people's

(13:52):
, you know, thoughts on things,and theater just does that so
beautifully and really also is amelting pot of various crafts.
A melting pot of various crafts, and so you have actors, you
have lighting technicians, soundtechnicians, set builders, set
painters, set designers,costumers, you know hair and

(14:14):
makeup.
It's like any occupation youneed is kind of right there.
Production is like that you canhave a number of skills and work
in the production field in someway, and those skills are going
to be very, very relevant.
From just project managementand not have having you know any
really kind of concept of whatthe art actually is, yes, but if

(14:36):
you can project manage well, oh, that's huge too.
Yeah, because you got to reignin artists, oh that's a lot of.
There's a lot of herding cats,as we say sometimes.
This show that we're doing rightnow, beauty and the Beast, um,
has a cast of 50 people.
That sounds like a lot.
It's a lot.
Okay, I'm like a large cat.
I'm just judging it onto theend of the woods that I saw a

(14:57):
couple of months ago and I'mlike that.
And when, when we say cast,we're talking, I'm doing the
things on the stage, correct,right, we're not talking behind
the scenes or whatever.
So, like, 50 sounds like a lot,50 is a lot, and that does not
include the live orchestra thatwe have.

(15:18):
So I believe we have 20 peoplein the orchestra on this show
too, so you've got 70 people onthe stage, and that does not
include any of the directors orthe crew or anybody working
behind the scenes.
So with this one show alone,there's going to be about 125
members of our community, plus,plus, plus, involved in making

(15:39):
these eight performances come tolife.
It's awesome.
Yeah, I mean it's amazing.
It really is cool and it's coolto see because these are
community members and communitytheater.
You know, I do get askedsometimes, like, well, what
makes something communitytheater versus professional
theater?
And it's as simple as it may bearchaic, but it's as simple as
community theater.
Actors do not get paid.

(16:00):
Oh, okay, I was thinking it'sjust a volunteer situation, it
is for the actors.
I like to go do it.
So I'm going to go do it.
Yeah, like our friend AlisonMcElroy, correct, okay, yes, she
does it because she's obsessedand loves it so much, um, and it
brings her joy and communityand friendships, and that's why
people do it, because it is sucha sense of family for people

(16:21):
that get involved in communitytheater.
So, yeah, when you're, you know,singing in the choir, in a show
or in the ensemble or in a cast, you know, lead principal role
that you're not being paid to dothat Right, that is usually
that.
There could be attorneys onthat stage who this is their

(16:43):
passion and they still want tobe involved in something like
this, and there's people thathave all kinds of vocations.
I love it, yeah, it's reallycool.
And then, of course, you know,we do get to work with some
professional musicians who arein the orchestra and then we
also incorporate studentorchestra members from, you know
, springdale public schools orjust any.

(17:05):
It can be pretty much anyschool, a lot from Springdale
public schools because we dothis.
We have been the past threeyears performing this show at
the Don Tyson School ofInnovations Performing Arts
Center, so we have a greatrelationship with that school
and the overarching Springdalepublic schools.
But we do have people on thisshow specifically with

(17:26):
Bentonville High School,fayetteville High School, roger,
you know there's pretty muchevery other entity as well is
represented.
This is so great, yeah.
And the University of Arkansas.
We've got a lot of likeuniversity students who will be,
you know, maybe getting theirMaster's of art or something,
who are involved in our shows aswell and take it on and be like

(17:48):
fancy sag or whatever, and theygot their start with you.
Yeah, we can say we knew themwhen, we knew them when yeah, I
love that.
Okay, so that was SpringdaleMusic Club and then, for one
year, springdale Fine ArtsCouncil.
Yeah, and I, you know, I'm notreally sure how some of those
things transpired over the years.
It could just knowing thenon-profit community in the

(18:09):
non-profit world it's every yearyou kind of find your your
niche and like how it was aquick niche though it was, that
was a quick, it was only oneyear.
I was like I think we need tojump Do something else.
The same thing, but a differentword.
Sure, we go to Springdale FineArts Association.
Yes, so we've dropped music andnow we're the arts.

(18:30):
Yes, now we're not a clubanymore, we're a council, we are
an association.
And I think because theSpringdale Chamber got involved
and civic leaders and that's howthe council was established and
then the council evolved intoan association in 1968.
Yeah, I'm sure it's a lot ofsemantics of who was involved,

(18:52):
right, and how things justtranspired and how boards maybe
evolved over the years too, asthings do.
So, yeah, I think for thelongest time it was the Art
Center of the Ozarks when itfinally became that.
Oh well, that is so years away,because then we went to the
Springdale Fine Arts Center.
So we've gone from council,association and then center and

(19:16):
the center was with the church,yes, specifically Springdale.
The center came with purchasingthe historic Church in downtown
Springdale in 72.
Yes, and they did a lot ofperformances when they bought
the church.
They still did a lot ofperformances, like outside in
the parking lot, like outdoorstage, and it's still like, was

(19:36):
that the ACO building?
Was that the church it turnedinto that?
Okay, that was the church thatturned into the ACO building
that we've sent sold, correct,okay, correct, that's where I
saw Mama.
There was like it was a churchbuilding upon, building on,
building on.
So cause, I was like I don'tknow, was there another church
when things got torn down?

(19:57):
Okay, that I'm a little fuzzyon.
Um, I'm sure that that historywell, I know that history does
exist.
We have a lot of archives fromthose days.
Still, that kind of slowly, theShiloh Museum of Ozark history
is acquiring from us to be thekeepers of that story.

(20:18):
So, yeah, that would be, youknow, really like 50 years in
that building, long time, likethat's a long time, very long
time, yeah, and it's an awesomespace and it was like 50 years
in that building, long time,like that's a long time, very
long time, yeah, and it's anawesome space and it's a space
that still gets used for thearts and so it makes me With
cash yeah, right, with themedium and cash to operate it.
Okay.
So the medium is physicallyinside, because I get really

(20:40):
Sure Bogged down of like I'mconfused.
I get cash emails and I'm likeis this and no, this is not.
And I know and I was readingand we're gonna come upon the
2020 intermission, but I'm likethat's kind of where everything
went dark and things sold andnames changed and right, and I
will know, I will give kind ofmy my elevator not to speak on

(21:04):
behalf of cash or the medium,but they're dear friends of mine
and they are kind of separateentities.
So the medium is the building,the medium is just the building,
the medium is the building andthe medium does have its own
staff that operate the building.
Okay, but those staff thatoperate the building are also
under the umbrella of cash.
Okay, and cash is its own 501c3.

(21:27):
Right, so they do.
They are kind of one in thesame in some ways, but the
medium is the building.
I feel like they're cash andvery physical art like Crystal
Bridge is even not physical.
Yeah, performance, it doesn'tseem performance basedbased like

(21:48):
not as much.
So some yes, not as much in thein the performing art space,
but they do a lot with music.
Um, they have like someprograms like ground waves that
are super cool and, um, so theyhave a lot of kind of
groundbreaking okay uh, musicthings that happen in that space
too.
Other organizations can rentthe space and perform there.

(22:09):
I was going to say, can anyoneuse the medium?
Yes, it's a rentable spaceBecause APT is going to use the
medium to pivot from rent.
Yes, I'm so excited thatthey're going to be able to do
that Because, yes, if peopledon't know, our most recent kind
of round of storms andtornadoes that came through
damaged a lot of downtown Rogersand the Victory Theater did

(22:31):
take a little bit of a hit.
That's going to have to havesome.
Just went through an amazingrenovation yes, an amazing
renovation, have some repairsdone to it, and so they were
just about to open a show, openrent, and so, thankfully, they
are going to get to do a weekendof shows at the medium coming
up.
I think it's in August.
In August it is because we have, I think, three people in

(22:57):
Beauty and the Beast who crossover with the rent show as well,
two cast members and then thechoreographer.
Okay, oh, the choreographeryeah, just a small feat, no big
deal, all important, yeah, okay.
And then 2020, when the worldshut down.
I love that they call it onyour website, they call it
intermission, because I'm likethat is so true and that's, you

(23:17):
know where the building was sold, the cash and all the things
stepped in, stepped in, andthat's when you all became arts.
One percent, yeah.
And I will say you know, covid,um, the pandemic, anything you
know like that.
It won't, it doesn't, it won'tbe just COVID.
Something else will probablyhappen that will still, you know
, again, one day that willaffect, um, the arts and the

(23:39):
performing arts especially.
Anytime you have to have a liveaudience to really see and
appreciate what this art is.
You know, some of this thepublic visual arts were a little
easier to do during that time,but the, the getting a lot of
people together in a cast I mean, think about this cast of 50
people and 20 people in anorchestra, then you're, you're

(24:02):
interacting and you're next toeach other, or 25, 150, all in
yeah, yeah, yeah.
And so, you know, those thingsreally just took a complete stop
, you know, came to a completehalt, what they call it the
ghost light or the, were youlike a theater goes dark, but
one light stays on?
Yeah, one light stays on?
Yeah, exactly.

(24:22):
And so that's kind of whathappened and it was like nope,
you know, as you remember,nobody knew how long it was
going to be.
Two weeks, three weeks.
You know, yes, leslie and Irecorded some video.
We're like we'll see you in twoweeks, just kidding, I know.
So weird, we were all veryhopeful.
When those videos pop up, I'mlike this is and I'm sorry to
even say this word, I know,because it's in itself cringe.

(24:44):
Cringe is cringe and thosevideos are cringe, yeah, it it.
That time was interesting forsure.
I remember it well.
But yeah, the and you know thatbuilding is not small and it
takes a lot to run and you know,community theater is not
breaking in.
It's pretty shoestring as it itis, it's very shoestring and so

(25:06):
it's.
You know, it's hard to kind ofkeep going if you don't have
your normal revenue generatingevents happening.
It's a niche audience ofsupporters, sure, not the show
itself, but donors, yes, I thinkyeah, and you know we we have
some great donors, um, in thisarea who really kind of worked
with the board at the time in2020 to talk about what were

(25:29):
some options perhaps.
And the Tyson Family Foundationdid purchase the building from
the Art Center of the Ozarks andwanted to kind of keep it in
the arts arena and available toother arts organizations as well
.
So not just, you know, oneorganization would be kind of

(25:51):
always performing on that stage,but there are multiple, you
know, individuals andorganizations based Really
community and it is, and otherpeople would utilize the ACO
when the ACO was there too, andutilize the space when the ACO
was there.
But, for sure, this kind ofbroadened that scope and so, yes

(26:14):
, the building was sold and theorganization kind of went under
a rebrand of the building itselfwas very much became the ACO
and 100%.
So the ACO was an organization,is an organization.
The ACO was a building, yes,and had an address Like that's

(26:34):
ACO, yes, and so, you know, whenthe name of the building
changed to, we also knew that wewere going to need to probably
help that become a littleclearer as well.
Yeah, that's where I got likeway lost in the weeds.
Yeah, um, and andunderstandably too, because when

(26:55):
all of our rebranding happened,there was so much happening in
the news and, um, you know thestory was out there.
But if you you caught it likegood luck, because, right,
there's just so much big thingshappening at that time, cash
arts was so much ACO Tysonfamily.
You're like, oh, my gosh, likewhat is going on with just that

(27:15):
one building?
Right, it was a lot Um, so,yeah, so we, you know, we did a
lot of um question questionswith the community and and some
studies to to kind of really getdown to, um, the two lanes that
we are in, which are performingarts and visual arts, and how
we um, uh, really focus on, uh,local artists um, and empower

(27:40):
local artists um, in in both ofthose lanes.
And so we wanted to Is it beyondSpringdale?
It's beyond Springdale.
So we're Northwest Arkansas,we're regional.
We still have our home base inSpringdale because that is still
the root of this organization.
It was the Springdale MusicClub.

(28:00):
There's no lease at Springdale.
We love Springdale and we lovehaving our home base there and
that still being our backyardand very much are proud of that
areas of the community andsupport artists, you know, all

(28:24):
throughout the region, um, andbring people from all throughout
the region to see, you know,some of these great shows and
some of these amazinginstallations, um, and you know
we, we love to be able to kindof launch something in
Springdale and then let ittravel, um, which brings us to a
mushroom, a mushroom traveling,yes, the most famous mushroom.

(28:47):
Yeah, ever, yes, ever, uh, oneof the first projects that we
worked on as arts one presents.
You know, we were still reallyum in in the kind of the thick,
the middle of of covid days, ofthe of the heavy days, um, but
we started, uh, having someoutdoor meetings with some
artists and local artists,totally masks, on six feet apart

(29:10):
, outside, um, and talking anddreaming big a little bit and um
, so one thing, you know, we, wemet with the local fiber artist
, um, extraordinaire, ginaGalena, and I said you know what
?
What would be something, aproject that you would want to
work on, what would be somethingand what are your barriers to

(29:33):
doing that?
What did you call her?
Fiber?
She's a fiber artist, yeah,because she's a crochet artist.
So fibers, she works withfibers, that's what that means.
Yeah, so fiber artists can also.
Then you can call her a crochetartist, but that's what I was
thinking Specific fiber that sheworks with, or her specific, um
, I guess, sector of the being afiber artist.

(29:53):
But fiber artists can also, Iguess, you know, do other things
, because I am not a fiberartist but I can.
I.
I'm friends with them.
Um, yeah, I sure am, so I, butI'm taking my papers, that's
right.
That's right.
Um, you know, gina is the one ofthe most incredibly talented uh

(30:17):
people that I've ever met and Ihad this thought and she was
like you know, people who kindof do some of the stuff that she
does, they need a larger scope,they need space.
Is she local?
She is local.
She um uh lives in Fayettevillenow, but she lived in Eureka
Springs for a long time, sothose were kind of her, her two

(30:40):
area homes here, um, but, yeah,and she's done some cool stuff.
Like years ago she um uh hadsome helpers but they yarn,
bombed maxine's and what, yeah,they did like all over within
the last, yeah, 16 years.
Yes, oh for sure.
Okay, I'm like I can rememberseeing this and actually, yeah,

(31:02):
and so she's made some justreally cool stuff connected to
her.
That's her, yeah, I think sheled that charge.
But then there's also things Iwould never even dream artist
brains if I could spend an hourin them.
Yes, well, everything is thecanvas, everything, um, and so,
especially to her, she'syou-bombed bicycles that hung in

(31:23):
press room.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yes, thatwas her too.
Oh, it was in the originalpress room, correct?
Yes, yeah.
So I mean, yeah, she's, youknow, been around a long time.
She's a musician as well, ofcourse she is.
Yeah, because it's likeVertical, so many talents and

(31:44):
that just go from one to thenext place, instruments, there's
really nothing she can't do.
So super cool.
I don't have any of those skillsets.
I have the patience to keepgoing with one.
Yeah, I think I taught myselfhow to crochet years ago.
I made a couple of scarves andnever learned correctly how to

(32:06):
tie them off, and then they justall unraveled and so 100% yeah,
that was cool, yeah, but yeah,nagina is just amazing and she's
so fast at it.
Did she just drain this mushroomup from the COVID meetings?
She was.
She said, you know, she had aum, as she was like traveling

(32:27):
and driving through like theRedwood forest.
Um, as a child she was like,wouldn't it be cool, like it's?
You know, you're this smallthing and this is this massive
thing If you could just gostraight through it?
Um, and she said, I've alwayswanted to do some big structure,
how would I do this?
But then I want it to be sointeractive that you just don't
go around it or beside it, thatyou can go through it.

(32:50):
And so she did.
She had the concept, shesketched it out.
She is friends with anotherlocal artist named Eugene
Sargent, who works with metalsand steel, and he was able to
fabricate, you know, the actualstructure of the mushroom out of
steel and it is in three partspieces.

(33:11):
So the stem is one piece, um,and the cap are two pieces, okay
, and so no one would havethought, yeah, and, and it's
incredible to see how it likeall comes together.
And then it took her six months.
Um, we say like one woman, onehook is.

(33:34):
I'm going to get this wrong,but my brain today on numbers,
but it's that I know that theopening that you walk through is
at least six feet tall.
So when you think about likeit's a 14 foot mushroom, you
know, and it has a largewingspan.
I mean, it's like a shade tree,right, essentially, but the

(33:55):
inside is crocheted as well andit has a large wingspan.
I mean, it's like a shade tree,right, essentially, but the
inside is crocheted as well.
So it's a true experiencewalking through it.
Is it still on display inbentonville?
Is okay, it is.
It'll be the all sign readycenter.
Okay, but it started in what'sthe square called in springdale,
so it was, um, um, shallowsquare, walter Turnbow park.
Okay, um, there.

(34:16):
So that's where we, we reallykind of envisioned it.
We had the meeting right outthere, um, and she and I was
like, you know what about thisspace?
And there really wasn'tanything like it, right and um.
So I remember let's be real,not just downtown Springdale,
but probably, yeah, andliterally.

(34:37):
So this was summer of 2021.
So we're just talking threeyears ago.
Did it not launch last year?
No, two years ago, it.
This is its third location.
So, oh, in 2014, it was only atsecond hold.
I'm so sorry, hold on.
Am I lying?
No, no, no, You're lying, I'mlying.
We started the conversationwith her in 21, and it was

(35:00):
installed in the spring of 2022.
Okay, in Springdale, okay, indowntown Springdale, and it
stayed there all through thesummer and that was a little bit
of an experiment for us and forGina, and we kind of just did
it together and collaborated onthis.
Does it fade, does it weather?
And so that was the biggestquestion.

(35:22):
It was like so, where does thisgo at night?
And we're like no, it stays.
Where does it go when it rains?
No, it stays.
Okay, she uses acrylic yarn,which is essentially plastic,
and so it is so durable that itjust dries.
So it's fine, excepting a fiberartist would only only a fiber
artist would know.

(35:42):
Yes, and she, as she builtpieces of it, as she built the
flowers that go around it, shewas doing that at her home, and
so these flowers were outsideduring the winter, they were
snowed on and they were fine.
Oh, they just dry.
Um, really, the thing that welearned was not only how durable
it is, um, how the, the, the,the elements didn't really do

(36:09):
anything to it other than thesun, and you will have fading of
colors, and so the cap of themushroom that was this very bold
.
You know, cherry red, um didturn orangish throughout the
summer and we just kind of wentwith that story of you know,
this is as nature does.
Nature changes throughout,throughout.
You know the seasons, um, andbut she, we took that as an

(36:34):
opportunity to once the mushroomwas, uh, de-installed that fall
.
And what does that mean?
Like, does it stay crocheted,is it so?
You said it's in three pieces,yeah, but, um, we take the
crochet off the cap, okay, yes,and the cap gets taken apart in
two pieces, okay, and stored,okay, off the cap, okay, yes,

(36:56):
and the cap gets taken apart intwo pieces, okay, and stored.
The stem, um, really has nothad anything that it needed to
have done to it so much becauseit was shaded, because, yeah,
shade tray, correct, yeah, andso, um, she's added some stuff
to it over time, a little bit,but, um, it it pretty much stays
intact with the crochet on itand can get stored with the
crochet on it.
The cap she took, and she waslike you know what I bet, if I

(37:21):
take the crochet off and flip itover, the other side is going
to be red, and sure enough, itwas Not what I would have
thought.
I don't think that way.
I'm just like, oh, get somespray paint?
Yeah, well, spray paint didn'tenter the picture because she
said you know, I wonder whathappens when you spray paint
acrylic yarn?
Probably not, I don't know.
And she was like you know what,I think I'm going to try that

(37:42):
with the flowers and try tobring back some of the vibrancy
of the flower colors too,without re-crocheting it Right.
So she did and practiced withsome spray paint, and then we
also kind of did some weatherguarding on all of it as well,
and that really helped itsustain.
So the second year we got a callfrom Walton Art Center.

(38:05):
That was like you know, we haveArtisphere coming up and we
think that this would really becool outside of Nading Bomb
Studios and the CommunityCreative Center.
And so we were like absolutelyso we're going to help figure
out how to get it there duringArtisphere, plus plus, plus.
It stayed for a lot longer.

(38:26):
And so she did.
I don't know what we did Towhere I didn't realize it had
already been available, it'salready been available, yeah.
Where I didn't realize it hadalready been available, it had
already been available, yeah.
So it was there last summer in23,.
And it was there all duringArtisphere and then some, but I
guess the Art of Wine last yearwas also an Alice in Wonderland

(38:47):
theme, and so they thought— ohright, yes, perfect.
They called and they were like,can we move it inside the
Walton Arts Center?
And I am one that always, like,tries to find the yes, I'm not
a no man if at all possible.
And so I'm like, yes, we'regoing to see how that can.
Yes, how can we do that?

(39:08):
And so the Walton Arts Centerteam incredible.
Their facilities team,incredible Tom, thank you, they
really helped, really helped.
They helped install on installday.
Um, where did it live?
Like in the, the, with thehanging and the staircase, and
they, I think they put it on thestage for the event, um, and

(39:29):
she and gina also, but it wasonly for that night.
They moved it back outsidegotcha, so it was for one of the
dinners, it was for the event,yeah and so.
But gina was like, um, theyasked her if she could make some
other kind of element to gowith it for the alice in
wonderland theme.
So they commissioned her tomake another element of it and
she made the big um, caterpillar, uh-huh, and that then sat at a

(39:53):
top of the of the mushroom, um,to really give that Alison in
Wonderland story that it waskind of a part it became a part
of at that point.
Um, and then, yeah, it went backoutside, um, for for the rest
of the time it was like rightnear the trail got a lot of
great foot traffic, um, thecolors super held up well, um,

(40:13):
we were very happy with happywith how it did there.
And then it went back, kind ofgoes back into storage and takes
a little nap for the winter.
And then we were like, okay,where's it going to go next?
And we were super happy to hearthat the city of Bentonville

(40:35):
wanted to take it on.
How did that come about?
Because you would think CrystalBridges would be the next
obvious place, right, but itpops up at Bentonville Community
Center.
Yeah, the city of Bentonville,which is so accessible for
families, it sure is, and thecity of Bentonville is great
about kind of looking atopportunities to have that.
Did she do the giant apple?
She did, okay, I'm like, holdon, I'm putting all the pieces

(40:57):
together.
She did the strawberry forFayetteville that was like at
the experience Fayetteville andthe visitor center.
And um, the big apple, she didum for Bentonville.
But yeah, they, and they hadcommissioned her to do that
before the mushroom, um, but,yeah, already familiar with.
So we worked with them.
Visit Bentonville, sponsored,um, kind of the, the movement

(41:18):
and the transportation and allof that of getting it there.
The artist has to be involvedevery time it's installed
because she has a very importantpart of crocheting it all back
together.
Yes, I mean that's important.
Yes, um, and then how, how theflowers work and all of that.
So, um, it's really, it'sreally cool to also, every time
there's another iteration of itat a new location, the artist is

(41:41):
, you know, is once againincluded in the process, paid
for that part of the process too.
It's like a child's birthday.
Yeah, right, it's on its thirdbirthday.
Gina would say it's our baby.
Yes, we've all had this babymushroom together, um, and so,
yeah, it's, it lives in likethis.
It was almost like it was acanvas, open canvas for this

(42:04):
gorgeous mushroom installationand all these beautiful colorful
flowers.
Um, right, when you uh, turninto the, the community center
on I Street there in Bentonville, and of course we install it,
and a tornado happens Only 10.
Only 7 to 10.

(42:25):
And I live in downtownBentonville and so I was kind of
also in the thick of that nightof storms and waking up to, um,
I have to go outside and seewhat damage.
I'm off ice street, I'm justdown from the community.
You are, I'm, I'm literallydown.
I'm like four blocks from thesquare.

(42:47):
Oh, you're fancier than me, Igot you.
No, no, I've just lived there along time.
I don't care, that's awesome,that's a long um, but yeah.
So we had a lot of trees down,actually went outside.
That totally it was likemassacre, insane.
And so there were a huge treefell between my house and there
was.
You know, neighbors were out,everybody was out, chainsaws
happening and the minute that Ikind of like bleary.

(43:10):
I looked around and assessed mysituation and, knock on wood, I
was extremely lucky and nothingto complain about.
But my immediate thought was,oh my gosh, the art.
And when you're a person whohas installed two we have two
outdoor art installations inBentonville, in the path of
where all of this was I was like, oh my gosh, what I have to,

(43:31):
how do we get to the art?
You're like hold on, let medrive around all these trees.
I immediately Gina and I weretexting and she woke up and
immediately was like themushroom.
We've got to figure out how toget up there.
So, you know, she and herhusband drove from Fayetteville
to try to like, which wasprobably a much easier drive
than from downtown Bend.
Honestly, yes, let's be realfair, I couldn't get off my

(43:52):
street.
Okay, yeah, our friends weretrapped, and I say trapped only
because the driveway was trapped, Right, but their house was
fine, they could physically walkoutside, but they could not
leave their home or neighborhood.
Yeah, no, I couldn't get off mystreet, um, and really my
driveway either, because of howmuch debris there was for hours.
But, uh, luckily, gina and herhusband were like, we're going

(44:14):
to start driving and just seehow far we can get, and if we
can get there, we, we will letyou know.
Absolutely, um, it was inperfect tact.
I'm not surprised.
Perfect tact, I, I, really, I,I laugh and and knock on wood,
but that I 100 expected to hearthat this somebody found this

(44:34):
14-foot-tall mushroom in theirbackyard and I was just like,
please, that would have beenawful.
Yeah, also, so funny, I know,because where else would that
happen?
Right, exactly, like I wouldnever wish that on y'all, or
especially on Gina.
Right, some people get atrampoline in their yard and
some people get a 14-footmushroom Exactly the storyline.

(44:55):
That's right, I mean, it didnot move at all.
That is a testament to this, tothe fabrication of that
structure.
Eugene Sargent, thank you.
And how well you know every citythat we've worked with now and
an entity like Walton Art Centerfor the Fayetteville location,

(45:17):
has been a part of theinstallation and has helped.
You know City of Springdale andthat public or the Parks and
Rec Department helped us.
You know bend, the rebar thatclips into the ground, that
holds that in place and thatgets used now every time too.
So we have there's, a formulato how we, how we, install.
Now it's almost like you'velearned, we have perfected, we

(45:39):
totally have um, and you knowthe, the only part of any of the
installation that we had to fixum after the storm, um are the
flowers have some wooden dowelrods in it.
I'm like, well, every bit ofwood in that place area snapped,
including these, but it didn'thurt the actual art.

(45:59):
We just had to replace the rodsBecause it's crochet, yes, and
she also like it gave her theopportunity to think about how
to make some of her structuresand some of the internal
workings that were wood in thefuture steel and she was like
you know, I'm going to take awelding class, I'm going to
learn how to weld so I can thendo that.

(46:20):
It's like the real-time Twistermovie coming.
Yeah, this is how I'm seeing it.
Yeah, yeah, right, they can'tget Dorothy to fly, yeah, and
they go visit Aunt May, yes, andthen Aunt May's hit by the
tornado.
Yeah, she's a problem solverand like, and to the point where
it's like I'm going to thenmaster something else, another
craft, and that's what they dobetter.

(46:42):
Yeah, so it's, it's great,we're super proud of it.
Apparently, even in theBentonville City Council meeting
it was like discussed how, howwell the mushroom did, and I was
like I have a secretary gotthat down.
Yeah, we're like, man, thisthing is, this thing is a champ.

(47:03):
So, yeah, you know, for and forthe community that is still,
you know, dealing with a lot, alot, a lot of cleanup and we
will be for a long time, andpeople lost homes and lives, and
you know it's horrible.
That's sometimes what publicart does is kind of help be the

(47:23):
reminder of the joy and thebeacon of that joy, and it's a
break for a minute and talkabout what a magical break the
humongous fungus is.
So it's been kind of this giftthat keeps on giving and I will
say so, taking it to anotherlevel.
When we installed it inSpringdale, our friends at

(47:44):
Hillfolk shop, B Apple and hercrew, came out to kind of help
and do some kind of crochetingtogether some pieces, and it's
kind of a community involvedproject in some ways, um, and so
one of her staff memberscreated a tiktok um of that day

(48:04):
and all the community membersthat came out to help um, the
dogs that were there, the peoplethat couldn't wait to like see
it and walk through it and pushtheir stroller through it, ride
their bike through it it's everevolving, it is and so they made
this tiktok and b kept textingme like every couple days she'd
be like oh my gosh, we're 500000 views.

(48:26):
Like we're at, this is 600 000views.
Like it just kept going up andI was like you're kidding me.
Oh, oh my gosh.
And so, um, then, uh, so thatit went viral from the
Springdale installation, um, andthen, for the Bentonville
installation, gina posted a TikTOK and a reel um on Instagram

(48:52):
and I should have looked before,before this.
I think that we were almost at900,000 combined views the other
day and I keep saying when weget to a million, a million,
we'll have a party at themushroom, because this, um,
people from all over the worldare like where is this?
This must be burning man.

(49:13):
Where is this?
Is this at Coachella?
Is this at Bonnaroo?
This should be something at afestival.
Yes, it does um and so, um, yeah, it doesn't look like it is
supposed to be in Familyville,usa, I know, and it's, it's, and
it can take on so manydifferent like it's the most
community friendly, familyfriendly.
Everybody recognizes it.

(49:33):
Accessible, um, totallyaccessible, and it's, you know,
art you can touch, right, andthat's the kind of which you can
never touch art.
That's the thing, and I lovesitting outside the community
center right now and watchingfamilies come in and out and if
it's the first time they've seenit, like kids will just start
running up to it and you'll kindof first hear mom go oh, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,yes, and then we're like no, no,

(49:54):
the same point.
I'm like oh my gosh, don't themushroom over, go run, don't?
Yeah, yes, um, take yourpictures, feel how cool it is,
you know, like some hashtags forit.
Um, hashtag meet me at themushroom.
Okay, that's been kind of theone from the from the get-go um.
So we had a meet me at themushroom um yeah, party

(50:16):
gathering out there the day.
That they had a lot of camperscoming in and out of the center
and we had a local mushroomfarmer, omnom, who sets up at
some of the farmers markets.
He came out and he brought alot of his real mushrooms and to
show kind of kids, like howmushrooms actually grow and like

(50:36):
you know what their purposesare, and so that was really neat
too.
But, um, yeah, it's been aneducational tool.
Um, it's been fun.
It's been one of the most likeKodak moments.
It's Instagrammable, likeobjects, yeah, yeah, very good,
unintentionally, yeah yeah.
And again, the mushroom to goviral, like um, and we kind of

(50:59):
leave organic, yeah, right,exactly, exactly, and every form
of the word organic.
Yeah, I love that.
I know, and you know, gina,like her craft goes beyond, like
she's made crocheted in thedrag community who will wear her

(51:22):
costumes?
And like they're just, they'reso incredible.
And um, you can, you can go andlook, but yet like, and she's
getting some work um, all overthe country now, um, you know
people commissioning differentum, different things for her to
do, and we're excited to seethat.
That was kind of part of ourgoal to with, like, working with

(51:45):
local artists, seeing whattheir barriers were for creating
things for their portfolio,that would really get seen and
that really takes them to thatnext level and how can they, you
know, get more work not onlywhere they live but beyond that
and really be able to be workingartists.

(52:07):
I love that, yeah, and this, Imean this is kind of one of
those success stories of she wassuccessful before.
You know, she did the mushroomfor sure, but that mushroom has
really kind of exploded in someother opportunities.
Out of COVID, you hit it out ofthe park on your first pitch.
Yeah, that was a lot of fun,but you know that was You're
like we are a new nonprofit.

(52:28):
Yeah, not new, but we are new.
Oh, and look what we've done.
Yeah, look how amazing.
I, you know, go big or go homeon some things, clearly, and
when we really were looking foropportunities to figure out,
like, what can we do during thistime?
Um, working with artists, andthen artists especially kind of
who work alone, and somethingthat can sit outdoors, something

(52:51):
that we didn't know.
That still, you know, thepublic can access.
It's free, there's really nobarrier to it.
Um, was was incredible and um,you know, it wasn't just to see
like how big can we makesomething, but what is something
that will be, at that point ofthe artist's career, the biggest

(53:12):
thing that they've done.
But it checked all the boxes.
Yeah, unintentionally andperfectly.
Yeah, oh, I love it.
Yeah, so that's your visuallane.
That's a visual lane.
Obviously that's a little bitmore of what I don't care.
I know about that.
Yeah, I love it.
But yeah, we've done other coolthings.
We worked with Black Apple andhad a Jeffrey Cantu ceiling
installation inside of BlackApple.

(53:32):
That year we worked with amural artist, roxy Erickson, to
do a mural in downtownSpringdale as well.
That was, and is still there,really cool.
The following year we a thespringdale barn quilt project,
um, and that's been also just areally cool thing to see how
that's progressed.
It's still up in downtownspringdale.

(53:54):
There's three differentlocations um to see, you know,
these large, eight by eight footsquare wooden structures
there's, um, but they're quiltsbut well, they're painted barn
quilts and so um and and kind ofthe history of barn quilts and
to get to read about them on allthese things that can be found

(54:15):
on our website too, that tellyou a little bit about the barn
quilts.
Where to find them?
Um, but we've worked with a lotof artists now over the last
three years and I'm super proudof that.
And one of the other projectsthat I think you've gotten to
see is the Children's SafetyCenter, the collaboration that
we did with them and their artcollection, and we love that.

(54:35):
There's, you know, 30 somethingartists represented now in
their art collection local andregional artists there too.
I love that.
One.
That might be like.
That is like nonprofits, like anonprofit collision, right,
like I guess.
And we've talked about tons ofnonprofits just while we're
sitting here, and I think that'slike one of the secret sauces

(54:57):
of Northwest Arkansas, for sureI mean, listen, I'm I love
collaboration, I thrive oncollaboration.
Listen, I love collaboration, Ithrive on collaboration,
collaboration over competition,for sure you know, yes, I didn't
play sports and stuff.
Now I will get competitive atgames all day long, but no,

(55:17):
collaboration is key and kind ofthat high tide raising all the
ships.
You can't do anything alone,right, I mean you can, but it's
going to be real hard.
You're going to be better,right, and you're going to have
bigger ideas and you're going tohave more perspectives.
It's just like the fungus, Imean.
So she crocheted it.
You know someone else, eugene,welded it or whatever, somebody.

(55:40):
The different city parts of it,parks and regs yeah, install it
.
Yeah, I mean there's a lot ofmoving pieces and it just it
better, I'm sorry, bigger andbetter together.
I totally agree.
We couldn't do what we dowithout.
You know, all of our partnersand collaborators and from
spaces to you know, theSpringdale Public Schools has

(56:03):
been one.
That was a little bit of asurprise how that came about.
Okay, let's talk about that,because you mentioned that.
Off camera, yeah, so we were.
You know we do public, we docommunity theater in different
venues.
The first show that we did againthe heat of COVID was in a

(56:26):
parking garage.
We turned the likewise parkinggarage here in Fayetteville into
a theater.
What was that?
Romeo and Juliet?
Okay, I was going to guess that, but I didn't want to butcher
it and be completely wrong.
That's okay.
I'm sorry I should have said no, it's okay.
I can picture the red dress, oh,yeah.
Yeah, it was like kind ofcontemporary, yes, clothing.

(56:47):
Yeah, it was all differentshades of like pinks, and, yes,
I'm sorry, I'm like, yes, inthat realm not red, red, but no,
yes, you're exactly right, andum, but you know, we had kind of
an?
Um, an intimate 80 seat theaterin this parking garage, and it
was sold out, yes, and um, I, um, I didn't get to go.
It happened while I was onvacation, and I was like it was

(57:08):
raw, it was, yeah, it was verylike minimalistic on.
You know, with the set, um, wewere like you know, how are we
going to do sound and light here?
The windows in that buildingand in that parking garage are
so beautiful, and the way thatthe sunset and the sunlight came
in, like golden hour, wasamazing, um, and, and then we

(57:31):
had some some kind of beautifulpink lighting there.
We actually, you know, becauseRomeo and Juliet is not a
musical, um, it is Shakespeare,uh, we brought, we were like how
can we kind of do this a littledifferently?
And then, of course, anythingin the public domain like that,
you can take a few more, um, uh,liberties, liberties with

(57:52):
artistic liberties, um, theShakespeare, the words,
everything stayed the same.
What we kind of did, though, iswe, um, we had a couple of local
DJs um work with us in the filmindustry.
They made like a rock androll-y type something for Romeo
and Juliet years ago.
When you watch the movies ofRomeo and Juliet, the score is
amazing and the soundtrack isincredible.

(58:13):
So I love that y'all.
We worked with local DJs, yeah,and we were like, hey, can
y'all like add to the ambianceof this and the kind of like
play some of this?
And the kind of like may youknow, play, play some of this
music on under some of thescenes, the fight scenes and
things, and it really made itmore engaging in a lot of ways

(58:34):
for people that like to have themultiple, you know, sensory
engagement.
I would too, yes, so that wasreally cool.
We did that.
I mean, of course, hugechallenge of like turning a
non-theater space into a theater.
And then we did Hunchback ofNotre Dame and that was the

(58:54):
first time that we used the DonTyson School of Innovation,
their performing arts center,the Pat Ellison Performing Arts
Center, which is an amazingbuilding, amazing school.
But if you don't know, youdon't know, so you're exposing
more community members to thisvenue.
Yeah, it's in East Springdale,the school itself is incredible,
and so you know, for peoplethat don't know about it.

(59:15):
There's a lot of kind of uniquethings about the Don Tyson
School of Innovation, but theirPerforming Arts Center has some
really state of the artequipment.
It's like about a twelvehundred seat theater, large
stage, all the bells andwhistles for the tech crew.
It's kind of like kids andcandy, something like they're

(01:00:02):
going to bring their A game andit's going to knock it out of
the park and it's going to stunpeople.
And I loved watching peopleexit with their jaw dropped.
And one of the coolest thingsthat I heard over and over, was
this not community theater?
And I was like this iscommunity theater, but community
theater can have take on allkinds of different, absolutely

(01:00:25):
like you know, facets, yeah,many facets.
And so I'm like yeah, no, isn'tit incredible?
And like look at who we have inour community that's doing this
.
I know the, the female lead, um, that we cast in that show, had
not done theater before,community theater before.
She just gets the lead as what?
As Esmeralda?
As Esmeralda, yeah, asEsmeralda, esmeralda, yeah, I

(01:00:46):
think she came and auditionedfor to be in the ensemble.
Oh, okay, they were like canyou also sing for this part?
That does not happen to me, bythe way, and she's done a lot of
other shows in this area supertalented person and like they.

(01:01:08):
You know there's a lot of moreof those stories that are that
are around Um, and you know Ilove getting to see actors that
do arts.
One shows go do um Arkansaspublic theater shows go do um,
our collective shows.
You're like a traveling groupie.
I love that.
Right, I'm like, yeah, it'sjust support.
Yeah, I like that.
I totally want to supporteverybody because there's
there's a place for all of us toexist.

(01:01:30):
Um, because we all do differentshows, different types of shows,
different sizes of shows.
You know, sometimes your, yourtheater, determines the size of
show that you can do, um, andyou know, luckily, with this
show, that we get to do in thesummer, because it's the summer,
um, uh, at this location is big, so we can go big.

(01:01:52):
Are we talking about Beauty andthe Beast?
So now it's Beauty and theBeast, yeah, so our second year
there we did Sweeney Todd.
That was last year.
Uh, massive Sondheim show, likea 28 piece orchestra in that
one, um.
So another, just huge show, um,and then this year, um, where

(01:02:13):
we're back to Disney and we'redoing beauty and the beast and
we had over a hundred peopleaudition for it, um, people,
that the excitement was likepalpable.
Um, and you know, this is whereI like, if I could, I would
just start making up roles foryou know, because you just want
to cast everyone.
No, that is one thing I willsay is.

(01:02:34):
I sat in on like one day ofauditions for for something like
early on it might've been Romeoand Juliet, actually I think it
was Um and somebody said, youknow, I think having the
director of the organizationthere might be a little
intimidating to some of thesefolks.
And I was like, okay, well,I'll have to come.

(01:02:56):
And actually then I was like,cause I was just curious, but I
was like you know what, I'm kindof glad that I don't have to
make that decision because Icouldn't.
Yes, I like wanted to casteveryone, everyone.
Like there's so many talentedpeople and we don't know how you
choose.
And so, yeah, we, you know, wedo get to kind of curate, if you

(01:03:19):
will, the directors and thedirecting team and kind of that
kind of core crew who then andthe music director, who then are
the ones that really then takeover cast the show, direct the
show, make all of those kind ofcreative decisions about the
show, and I get to kind of sitback and figure out, like, how

(01:03:41):
can I make whatever you want?
Come true to a point with our,you know, budget pinching, some
budgets and, uh, whateverworking on you know sponsors and
and and things like that.
So, yeah, we really um talkabout a a huge community effort.
Everyone gets involved intrying to make, get these shows

(01:04:02):
off the ground, um, but they'reso important to to not only the
people involved, very importantto the people involved, um, they
are so important to ourcommunity because, you know,
community theater provides alevel of access that people who
you know may not be able toafford going to a Broadway show

(01:04:26):
or or something, with, you know,a higher ticket price or even
just, too, you know,uncomfortable going to a theater
, maybe not so used to theater,but coming to something where
you're like, hey, my neighborsin this show, exactly, I'm gonna
go watch.
Yes, I'm gonna go watch him orher, you know, I'm going to
watch them.
And so, um, that's exactly mycoworkers in this show, you know

(01:04:49):
.
So it really brings communitytogether, um, in the audience,
and that's so cool too,absolutely.
And then, but also on stage andon stage.
Yeah, every single one of themhas a real hustle, and this is a
side hustle, a non-paid sidehustle born out of passion.
Yeah, every single one of themhas a real hustle, and this is a
side hustle, a non-paid sidehustle born out of passion.
Yeah, and you know you alsolike the.

(01:05:11):
I love seeing the generations ofpeople involved in community
theater too.
That's a fun storyline, I betit is, I would say, like on this
show, beauty and the Beastspecifically, um, uh, we'll have
.
We have someone who's probably14-ish to 70s, you know.

(01:05:33):
I mean, there's a big rangethere and they both can learn
from each other.
And it's incredible.
We love involving youth andstudents in production, because
it's one of those things that weneed more people who are
skilled in production.
Once you're skilled inproduction, you can go work in
the music industry, you can gowork at a venue, you can work in

(01:05:54):
theater, you can do all thesedifferent things.
You don't have to just doproduction for one lane, um, but
product this, you know, skilledat production.
We have a a growing filmcommunity here now too, and
there's multiple festivalsoutside of BFF.
Yes, and not even justfestivals but films being shot
here, and they're looking forlocal crews, and so we want to

(01:06:16):
put you know, we want to trainand put these kinds of tools um,
into people in our community toget those jobs, for sure, and
so I feel like that's in thedevelopment world.
Yes, I mean, it is workforce.
We're not workforce training ina lot of ways, for sure, yeah,
yeah, you know, what else Iloved and maybe you did this
with the other productions, Ijust simply don't remember is

(01:06:37):
that you did a pop-up, like atwhat?
Bow house beer garden.
Bow house beer garden.
Yes, sorry, thank you.
No, it's okay, I don't know howto say it, but I love that it
was German-inspired.
Yes, because that's kind offictionally where it takes place
.
Right, well, it's Europe, soit's French, so Beauty and the
Beast is French.

(01:06:57):
No, you're good though, but thepub, like it's very Steinish,
like it's their Stein.
Yes, that's what I'm thinking.
Yes, yeah, be like and meetlike.
Exactly, I'm not going to sing,because that's tragic.
Yes, I can see it.
Yes, the no one drinks likeGaston was totally brilliant.
I love a pun and I love puttinglyrics to the event that we're

(01:07:21):
having.
Of course, be Our Guest hasbeen one of the most widely used
things, now that we've said.
And so, yeah, our good friendsit was like a month ago or
something, yeah, not too longago, just a few weeks ago, our
good friends Dan Hentz and ChefJennifer Booker, who own Bauhaus
in downtown Springdale, werelike, hey, you know, use our

(01:07:42):
space, it can be a home towhatever y'all want it to be.
If you want to, you know, havea drink special or something,
and um, but it's afamily-friendly space.
So, as, as I was educated,because I um had have, you know,
wasn't didn't know about beergardens, but beer gardens are
very family-friendly.
Um, in Germany, in Europe thatyou know, people might have

(01:08:05):
their kids birthday party atthem, but they're very family
friendly spaces.
It's not just like you're goingto a bar and it's 21 and up
right and so, um, they have anincredible outdoor patio.
We had some live music.
Um, people, there was thrownchairs, yeah, like the beast
throne we set.
We set up like a little fun,like photo booth session area.

(01:08:25):
I want you to do it again rightbefore it kicks off.
So get ready, because so, andthen the actor who plays Gaston
was very willing to come.
Gaston actually joined us atthis event and Gaston heckled
people, you know, all throughout, and it was.
It was amazing.

(01:08:45):
I was so bummed.
It was right in the thick of abaseball season was wrapping up
for us and but I was like, oh myGod, I want to go to this.
Well, and we will.
So we're going to do some otherthings like that too.
Um, where they're?
You know, they're open to thecast and family members, but
they're open to friends andcommunity members and anybody
can come.
Again, we want to highlight ourlocal businesses as well as

(01:09:08):
spread the word about what we'redoing and have more people be
interested in and excited aboutcoming to the show.
So, yeah, it's just been fun toplay with and kind of the
marketing of this, a lot of ourcast members, you know we're
very interested in walking inthis weekend's pride parade and
so, um, even you know some oneof the signs that that I just

(01:09:31):
looked at, saw today that's,that's being printed for it.
Um is, you know, a tale as oldas time.
Um, love is love, and so I'mlike, yes, this, it's perfect.
So it's really kind of it'stranslatable in all kinds of
ways and we're excited aboutthat.
We're going to have a couple ofmore nights at restaurants or

(01:09:54):
places where people can come.
I love that, yeah, okay, beforewe close, I want you to talk
about where the name Arts Onepresents, sure, talk about where
the name arts one presents can,sure, um, yeah, honestly, I I

(01:10:16):
not to take credit for it, but Ithink arts one, at least, was
me the first two words um, um, I, yay, yes, credit, yes, take it
.
I honestly think I was listeningto a youtube2 song which is not
surprising and there was a text, probably with a couple of the
board members, and I was like,hey, what do y'all think about
this?
And then I kind of presented anoverall here's how it could

(01:10:37):
sound and what it could looklike and all of this.
And we really were like, yeah,it is arts one.
So you just kind of dreamed itup out of, because you too,
probably in some ways.
I mean, I don't know, um, I'm aword person, I love words, okay
, so I do want to.
I, you know, I was thinkingthrough a lot of um, I wanted a

(01:10:57):
word from the old organizationand I mean, at least you have an
and, if anything, we are thearts, we are multiple arts and
we are one in community.
We are one in the arts, we areone supporters of each other,
and the we are one kept comingup, so that was one of our

(01:11:21):
hashtags early on too was we areone, and it gives me chills
just thinking about it.
So I loved that, and then Ilearned a lot about how you
register organization names in astate oh, that's a good time,
and whether that no one.
You know, the word arts and theword one O-N-E are used in lots

(01:11:42):
of different names oforganizations and businesses in
the state of Arkansas, and onething that I did learn is that
if one of your words in yourorganization name is a letter or
a number or a spelled outnumber, so the number one or an
O-N-E, it does not count in thename of like are you duplicating

(01:12:07):
the name of anotherorganization?
So therefore, then it justbecame like our name was arts,
and so we were like what do wedo then if we can't count this
other word?
I don't know to make it wherelike we're different enough from
another sounding organizationthat has the word arts in it,
and so they were like you need athird word in there in it.
And so they were like you needa third word in there.
And so we were like, what's ourthird word?

(01:12:29):
And again this kind of actuallywas reminding me of probably
what those boards were goingthrough in the 60s and 70s when
they were like, you know,association, council, commuters,
all of the things, um, civicgroup and uh.
So we kept just trying thingswith a third word and the third

(01:12:50):
word and a third word, um, andfinally we really liked the
action of arts one presents.
It's unlike anything I've everheard.
Yeah, cause you were trulypresenting, we're presenting
things.
Yeah, um, so it's, it's verymuch action, you know, related
are.
You know, we, we do shorten itas arts one a lot when we speak,

(01:13:11):
or AOP, um, and we love that.
It's cool, um, and it's just itreally, the minute it happened,
it's like you knew that's it,that's the one I love that.
Yeah, because it sounds likeit's like oh, they've left a
fourth word off, right, right.
One presents what?
Yeah, but like, we'll tell you,but it's intentional and I love

(01:13:33):
it.
And so I didn't think about itlike that.
I've never thought about it tomission oriented, it spoke to
the vision, it spoke to thecommunity and it was a brand
that could withstand some timewe wanted to also honor the

(01:13:58):
former logo of the ACO and itwas, if you remember, the
triangle, like the A.
Yes, yes, so we still kind ofkept well, I have a shirt on it
has.
Yes, this is our pride versionof our logo.
Yes, but we kept the thetriangle look and then our very
brilliant designer, just verysimply, instead of finishing out
the triangle, put the onethings I would never think, I

(01:14:21):
just brought the one right inthere.
Uh, do graphic design people?
Yeah, bernie is awesome, and,like you know, we had several
different logos that the boardlooked at, voted on.
We got feedback from thecommunity on all of them as well
.
An anonymous survey went outfor people to give some feedback

(01:14:46):
about the different logos, thecolors and how people felt about
them.
Sometimes what happens withcolors?
Is the old logo super cool, alot of colors.
It gets hard to translate thatinto a lot of different formats
of media, yes, and it also getsexpensive yes, yes, it does To

(01:15:08):
print Um, and so a lot of brandsalso have kind of go into one
signature color.
For that reason, um, and that'swhat we did too.
We pulled out this beautifulmagenta pink, okay, um, and I
was kind of surprised thatthat's what was chosen, but I
was so happy that, totally.
But I don't know why I'msurprised.

(01:15:30):
And, casey, I'm not a pink girl.
I wasn't a pink girl.
Let's say, like I was very likea museum.
My wardrobe is black, veryneutral.
You do love black, I love you,really do.
I mean, I don't know if y'allremember she was a leading lady
a few years ago.
Oh, I was, and she was in blackand I was all in black, yeah,

(01:15:50):
on a really bright wall.
Yes, but you were in black,you're always in black, I'm
always in black.
Hey, listen, I love a uniformand I welcome a uniform.
Go wrong anytime.
This job has brought andbecause of our brand, has really
brought out me wearing somecolor and I have, like, pink

(01:16:10):
shoes.
Now I have pink shirt.
I know when, then Barbie didnot hurt that either.
I was like, well, I kind ofhave a wardrobe, thank you, um,
that can match this.
Have fun pink earrings, like,yeah, we really kind of own this
pink color now and we have alot of pink.
So, no, it's fun because it'salso a color that everyone gets

(01:16:36):
drawn to and then gets prettyproud of and, yeah, we love it
and it's more universal now.
I think, thanks to BarbieAbsolutely, knuff, it's Knuff,
literally it's Knuff.
Um, and, yeah, we love it andit's more universal now.
I think, thanks to barbie,absolutely enough, yeah, it's
enough.
Literally, it's enough.
Yes, we are can this?
Pink is pink is pink, pink ispink.
So, yeah, we have thisbeautiful, beautiful pink color
and, um, we, last year, britneyuh made us a pride version of

(01:17:02):
our logo as well, and so that'sbeen kind of fun to get to have
because, um, we're back tomulti-colors and and one um uh,
for a while that we, you knowthat we get to use and show off
and um, but yeah, we, I'm, I'mreally proud of this brand, um,
I think it's, I think it's donereally well as a brand and I'm
really proud of the organizationbecause we have stuck to our

(01:17:25):
mission to, you know, empowerlocal artists, engage the
community, enrich the community,enrich the local businesses
around us and provide accessibleand inclusive performing and
visual arts.
That's what we do.
I am so happy you walked behindme at BFF and you were like I
want to be on the podcast andI'm like, okay, great, come on,

(01:17:47):
let's talk, because I'm like Iknow you, I know I knew of Arts
One Presents, right, yeah, but Itold you it was all really
money for me and I am like avisual, yes, one-on-one, kind of
person, like somebody, me, likein my terms, so I can
understand.
And now I'm like, oh, you havetwo lanes and we're going to go
visual and performing, yeah, andwe're connecting and we're

(01:18:09):
enriching the community, and I'mlike this is a win win, casey,
I love a podcast and, yes, youjust told on me, but I would
tell him myself too that I waslike I definitely did say at BFF
, Casey, I want to be on thispodcast.
I love it, though.
I love it and I listen topodcasts all the time.
I'm obsessed with podcasts.
Okay, give me pointers, becauseI'm going to need.

(01:18:29):
Yeah, I will give you somepointers off the air.
I go into genres where I'm liketrue crime and you know, um,
there's a lot of um, uh, amazingkind of queer content and and,
um, uh, related podcasts rightnow that that have been great to
kind of to, to listen to andget to experience.

(01:18:51):
And then, um, uh, there's a lotof like head and brain and
things that make you just thinkand things that just kind of
talk about, like you know,mental health or, um, you know
how to feel like a whole person.
And I just like I love that.
Podcasts can really do anythingand talk about anything.

(01:19:12):
Yes and um, and I've kind ofI've got a deeper first.
Yeah, no, I love it because Iam, we will do it together.

(01:19:41):
Listening to you, I'm like, okay, I love it.
My attention span has gotten sobad over the last few years and
I have a hard time finishing abook now, but what I'm in is my
car all the time.
All the time.
Do you listen to them?
I do.
I listen to podcasts.
Do you forget where you'redriving?
Do you just drive on accident?
Because that would be me.
I miss an exit or twooccasionally, okay, this is why

(01:20:02):
I haven't done it yet.
I do, because exit or twooccasionally Okay, this is why I
haven't done it yet.
I do, cause my mind iswandering.
So I'm like, also, would Ireally listen to this chapter or
would I have to replay it?
I have no idea.
I, shockingly, pay really goodattention to podcasts and now I
have them on I I noticed I getmore done in my house, like
doing dishes or laundry orsomething, if I have a podcast
on Cause, I will stop and danceand have my own dance there.
Go there, you go, um.

(01:20:24):
And so I love, I love a podcastand it's kind of helped me feel
like my brain still works and I, um, am learning things without
learning having to read a book,um, which I still need to get
back to.
But in the meantime, I thinkpodcasts are great.
I love being able to like seethat there are everyday people

(01:20:44):
who can start a podcast and youfeel like you get to know them.
You can do I'm just kidding,I'm not but you feel like you
get to know people, yeah, andit's great, that's awesome, so
much.
I think you're like number sixor something.
So I feel sorry for everybodythat watches me, because I'm
like a rambler and they alwaysgo forever and I don't even know
what time we started, but we'reprobably well over on time.
But I'm like I, yes, I learnsomething in every podcast and

(01:21:09):
to where I'm like, oh my God, Itotally get Arts One Presents
now, yes, well, and I think, too, people that kind of know me
from different in differentspaces and different contexts,
which is me, yes, like, arealways like what do you, what do
you do, so I'm not surprisedthat.

(01:21:30):
It doesn't offend me at all,and I love getting to tell
people about arts one and kindof how it came about and what we
do, um.
But I'm also just such a fan,um, and want to support as many
other organizations as possibletoo, cause I see you at all the
events.
I love going to all theirevents, right, um, and I'm a big
Razorback fan, so I like goingto Razorback stuff too, and so I
like doing a lot of differentthings, and so I'm out and about

(01:21:50):
and I have to remember.
Sometimes I'm like, oh yeah,people might not realize I
actually work for Arts One, workfor Arts One, even though I
might be over here or in Edwinor whatever or whatever.
But I'm like, again, secretsauce to end up in the way,
that's right and that's what wedo.
Yeah, I love it and thank you.
Thank you, casey, this wasawesome.
I know I'm glad that we hadlike dedicated time to chat.

(01:22:11):
I know I love it.
I feel like really like a hugecheerleader of Arts One Presents
now.
Thank you, too late July.
I feel like, am I gonna butcherit?
18th through the 26th, 18ththrough the 28th.
28, yeah, days, yeah, 18ththrough the 28th, there are
eight performances and umtickets are online at

(01:22:34):
arts1presentscom.
I'm sorry, arts1presentsorgtickets are online.
Arts1presentsorg.
Like yep, yep, no, um, it's.
I've I've typed a lot of thingstoday, but, yeah, and we
appreciate all of our sponsors.
So thank you 3W2, because y'allhave been just awesome support
from day one.
Well, we're team man, so we'reAngos, we support team man.

(01:22:54):
Thank you so much.
So, yes, thank you, thank youfor hanging with us all this
time.
I know I appreciate it, anneappreciates it, and remember to
keep.