Arkansas Arts Center
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One of the leading cultural institutions in the state, the Arkansas Arts Center is located on the corner of 9th and Commerce streets in MacArthur Park, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. The center features a permanent collection of various works of art along with occasional special exhibitions. Other parts of the center include a research library and rooms for several art education classes for a variety of age groups. The restaurant Best Impressions and gift shop are also located within the center. Many of the facilities such as the main atrium and the lecture hall can be rented for special events.
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[edit] Permanent collection
The museum's permanent collection is focussed on drawings, which the AAC defines as any unique work on paper. The collection holds objects from such historically recognized artists such as Rembrandt, Pablo Picasso, Odilon Redon, Andrew Wyeth, and Edgar Degas. The collection also represents numerous important late Twentieth Century and contemporary artists such as Susan Hauptman, Gregory Gillespie, William Beckman, Jane Frank, and Odd Nerdrum. One of the highlights of the Arts Center's collection is a collection of Paul Signac drawings and watercolours; many are on public display in a gallery dedicated to the Signac collection. Much of the Arkansas Art Center's permanent collection can be viewed through its Web Kiosk.
[edit] Regular shows
The Arkansas Arts Center hosts the Delta Show, an annual competitive exhibition of artist from Arkansas and adjacent states.
The Arts Center also host an Annual Collectors Show & Sale. The curators of the museum bring in works--principally drawings--from a variety of galleries from New York and around the country. This gives local collectors access to works they wouldn't normally see and the general public to see the works of a number of contemporary artists.
Each year the Annual Toys Designed by Artists exhibit is held.
A competitive show of works from local school children is held annually as well. The Young Arkansas Artists show displays works from grades K-12 and awards prizes and honorable mentions for outstanding work. Schools with winning entries receive monetary awards to help promote their art programs.
The Arkansas Arts Center also organizes their National Drawing Invitational on a semi-regular basis. The show was designed to enhance to medium of drawing and to further awareness of draftsmanship as a contemporary art.
[edit] Children's Theater
The Children's Theater is a very popular attraction featuring plays of classic children's stories. The Children's Theater gives children both the opportunity to witness live performances and to participate in stage productions.
[edit] Museum School
The Arts Center's Museum School offers courses in a variety of media. Classes in life drawing, Ceramics, photography, woodworking, and jewelry, as well as workshops by visiting artists and children's classes are available. The school holds a sale of student work the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year.
