The Walton Arts Center is a

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. P ...

center located in

Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville ( ) is the List of cities and towns in Arkansas, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Washington County, Arkansas, Washington County, and the most populous city in Northwest Arkansas. The city ...

. It opened in 1992 and is currently Arkansas' largest and busiest arts presenter. The center is estimated to have cost about $13 million, which was made possible by a collaboration of the Walton Family Foundation, the university, the city, and the private sector. The facility currently houses three resident companies: Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Trike Theatre for Youth, and Community Creative Center. In 2016, the facility was renovated and expanded with an additional square feet.

History

The idea for the Walton Arts Center started in the 1980s with a donation from

Sam Walton Samuel Moore Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was an American business magnate best known for Co-founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in Rogers, Arkansas, and Midwest City, Oklahoma, in 1962 and 1983 res ...

to the

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...

for the creation of a performance space. After talking with the city of Fayetteville, which was also looking for a multi-purpose space for conferences and special events, the corner of Dickson Street and North School Avenue was chosen for its location approximately halfway between downtown and the University. In 1986 the Walton Arts Center Council was formed with the task of the construction of the facility. In 2009 Peter B. Lane was appointed the Center's third President/CEO. In 2013 the Arkansas Music Pavilion was relocated to the city of Rogers, AR In 2014 construction of

Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion The Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion (originally known as the Arkansas Music Pavilion and commonly known as the Walmart AMP) is an outdoor amphitheater located in Rogers, Arkansas. The venue opened in June 2005 as a semi-permanent venue, becoming ...

was completed.

Art facilities

Baum Walker Hall is the main facility of Walton Arts Center. It is a

proscenium A proscenium (, ) is the virtual vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor itself, which serves as the frame ...

stage seating . This venue is used for recitals, lectures, musical performances, ceremonies, and concerts. Starr Theater is a black box theater that seats up to 250 people. Its square feet are used for small shows and events. Studio Theater is located at the Nadine Baum Studios on West Street across from Walton Arts Center. The capacity is 300 people and the space is square feet. McBride Studio has a capacity of 100 people and the venue is used for business meetings, pre and post-performance receptions, and classes. Cynthia H. Coughlin Gallery/Main Lobby is used for receptions and dinners when there is not a performance and it serves as the gathering space before a performance. The area can hold up to 400 people at a time. Bradberry Amphitheater/Rosen Memorial Rose Garden is located on Dickson Street, outside of Walton Arts Center. It is used for weddings, receptions and dinners and has a capacity of 200 people. Joy Pratt Markham Gallery is a visual arts space located inside of Walton Arts Center.

References

External links

Walton Arts Center Homepage
{{Authority control Performing arts centers in Arkansas Buildings and structures in Fayetteville, Arkansas Tourist attractions in Fayetteville, Arkansas Event venues established in 1992 Culture of Fayetteville, Arkansas