PROGRESS
CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES!
The new Arts Center will be a regional treasure located in scenic MacArthur Park in the heart of Little Rock, Arkansas. Opening in 2022, the Art Center will welcome all with exhibitions, art classes, performances, lectures, programs and so much more.
Fall 2020 Construction Update: Construction on the new 137,000 square-foot Arkansas Arts Center is rapidly progressing. The custom concrete petals for the signature roofline are complete, revealing the full expanse of the new building. White brick encloses the new state-of-the-art gallery space where visitors will find the Arkansas Arts Center Foundation Collection and dynamic special exhibitions. Frames for floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking MacArthur Park at the south end of the building, await the installation of specialty glass panes that will offer stunning views of the landscape. Inside, walls are beginning to be framed, offering a sense of the size and scale from the Art School, administrative offices, and the galleries.
Image 1) Frames for the floor-to-ceiling windows in the new restaurant that overlooks MacArthur Park. Image 2) Workers from Bass Concrete pour the floor of the Cultural Living Room, a glass enclosed gathering space located on the second floor. Image 3) Construction workers set rebar to support the concrete roof. Image 4) The two-story west wing, which houses nearly 20,000 square feet of gallery space, is clad in white brick.
Vision
Building a cultural home for future generations
A cultural shift is happening with the construction of a new Arkansas Arts Center. A reimagined place to see, create, and enjoy the arts.
Building on the Arts Center’s legacy, the reimagined space will be a creative, educational, and civic beacon for future generations. Join the countdown to 2022.
© Studio Gang and SCAPE
“The plans for the new Arkansas Arts Center are transformative. Like you, we believe in the Arkansas Arts Center and know together we can make it a thriving and influential cultural institution for present and future generations.”
– Harriet and Warren Stephens,
Capital Campaign Co-Chairs
PROJECT
Building the future while honoring the past
Designed by world-renowned architecture firm, Studio Gang, the stunning new Arkansas Art Center is located in Little Rock’s MacArthur Park and surrounded by historic homes in the Quapaw Quarter neighborhood. Notably, the north entrance features a new entrance that reveals the original 1937 Museum of Fine Arts façade. The glass entrance to the south is surrounded by six acres of beautiful landscaping, walking paths and an event lawn, designed by the noted firm, SCAPE.
The Arts Center’s new 137,000 square-foot building will be the place to experience art in world-class galleries, take art classes in a modern art school, view performances in two state-of-the-art theatres, celebrate, relax, contemplate, and enjoy.
“The design for the reimagined Arkansas Arts Center features new and renovated spaces for gathering and community events to create dynamic connections among the state-of-the-art galleries and exhibitions, renovated Museum School, and upgraded Theatre. One of our main goals for the project is to allow the architecture to invite interaction, discovery, creativity, and learning.”
Architect and Founding Principal of Studio Gang.
– Kate Orff, Founder of SCAPE.
CAMPAIGN
Building our support across Arkansas
We believe in the power of the arts to change lives and communities and we hope you will join us on this exciting journey. Reimagining the Arkansas Arts Center: Campaign for Our Cultural Future supports a complete transformation of the AAC facility, transition and re-opening costs, and critical endowment funds to help support future operations.
By participating, you will help to establish a significant architectural treasure in the heart of Arkansas that serves the community, stimulates tourism, and drives the economy.
This is our moment to make a long term, permanent impact on the city, state and region. Learn more about how you can help here
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