CommunityLink

Conway, AR

Culture/Entertainment

Conway is truly an arts and entertainment destination. Enjoy a variety of performances, including the symphony, theater, concerts and more. Discover something new at a museum or art gallery. Take a stroll through the eclectic shops of the downtown area and dine at one of Conway’s great restaurants.

The Faulkner County Museum is based on the concept that only by preserving and presenting the past can one achieve a wise perspective on the future. The central theme underlying the museum’s exhibits is the range of environmental conditions found in Faulkner County and how the inhabitants, from prehistoric to the present, adapted to local conditions. The exhibits include artifacts, equipment, household items, clothing, historic and modern crafts, and photographs. These materials are arranged in a series of educational, attractive and self-explanatory exhibits that are combined on the unifying theme of everyday life in the past.

The Baum Gallery is an educational art museum for UCA students, faculty and staff. It serves as a cultural resource for the state, participates in national and international tour exhibitions and programs, and curates original exhibits distinctly suited to an academic environment. The gallery develops exhibitions and events that invite interaction and encourage dialogue about all aspects of visual art: the creators, studio processes, history, criticism, curation and cultural contexts.

The UCA Department of Art opened the Fine Arts Gallery in the west wing of McCastlain Hall in October 1994. Inaugural exhibits included drawings and prints by sculptors from the Arkansas Arts Center’s permanent collection, works by finalists in the UCA public art sculpture competition, and photo documentation of the winning competitive entry “Song of the Earth” by Tom Gibbs, currently installed west of Irby Hall.

The Department of Art renamed the gallery in 1995 upon acceptance of a -gallery endowment donation from the charitable trust of philanthropists Charles and Nadine Baum to the UCA Foundation. Following this initial gift, the Baum Trust and the Friends of the Gallery advocate group of alumni and community members have continued ongoing financial support for Baum Gallery exhibitions, programming and special events.

The Baum Gallery of Fine Art coordinates nine exhibitions and welcomes approximately 7,000 visitors during the academic year. Traveling exhibitions are often accompanied by related visiting artist components. Most recently, a 10th-generation potter from Japan led a workshop and gave gallery talks about the exhibition “A Glimpse into Echizen Ceramics.” Also, the founder of Hand Print Workshop, International conducted printmaking demonstrations and gave gallery talks about the exhibition “The View from Here: Contemporary Russian and American Screenprints.”

Workshops, gallery talks, exhibitions and events are free. The public is always invited.

The Conway Symphony Orchestra began as a joint venture of the Hendrix and UCA music departments and performed its first concert in 1984. This first-class professional orchestra was organized to make use of the talents of the musicians in local schools and the Conway community. Today 21 area volunteers make up the Conway Symphony Board of Directors, and they work to help finance the orchestra and promote its enjoyment in Conway. The symphony provides all types of classical and orchestral music, including park concerts and an annual Christmas concert, guaranteed to get you and your family into the holiday spirit. The symphony performs at the Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas Campus.

A unique group is Conway’s Men’s Chorus, which represents a group of individuals from the community, including teachers, lawyers, businessmen and retirees who traditionally come together twice a year to present a performance. About 50 men are in the group.

The Community Arts Association of Conway is celebrating more than 30 years of providing the community with outstanding live theatrical programs. The group produces three plays each season, and during 2004 they produced their first musical. Governed by a board of 25 directors, the group is very popular with the community. The group has its own version of the Oscars — it gives out awards for best actor, best play, best director, etc. Theater attendees vote on the major awards, while the board votes on the technical awards.

The Conway League of Artists was formed in 1973 to serve the artistic needs of the community. The league offers educational programs, workshops and opportunities to show and sell their work. One of the venues displaying works of the artists is the annual “Art in the Atrium” — a program that was started in 2001 by the Arkansas Educational Television Network.

The Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall is the capstone of a $22 million complex that is a combined project of the University of Central Arkansas, the Arkansas Educational Television Network, and the city of Conway through the Conway Corporation. The complex includes the AETN Center for Educational Telecommunication, the UCA Mass Communication facilities, and the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center.

The state-of-the-art performance hall seats 1,200 and accommodates full orchestras and large theatrical productions; it can be used for guest speakers, lectures, and large conference and teleconference meetings.

Promoted to students, Conway residents and all of central Arkansas, entertainment provided by UCA Public Appearances, a division of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, brings high-quality artistic and educational events to the campus and also provides enhanced learning and vibrant entertainment. Performances include solo entertainers, modern dance performances and Broadway musicals, to name just a few. Recent entertainers have included James Brown and Frank Sinatra, Jr. The 2006 season includes the Broadway musical “Rent” and the Russian National Ballet.

Hendrix College hosts the Murphy Foundation Programs that are designed to enhance and enrich the study and teaching of literature and language. They do this by bringing eminent artists, scholars, poets, authors, theater directors and many others to the Hendrix campus. Each year a theme is chosen, then lectures, discussions, readings and films explore the theme from a variety of perspectives and in different genres. The events are free and open to the public.

Silver Moon Cinema is a place for old-fashioned outdoor summer entertainment and laid-back family fun. Silver Moon Cinema is located at Toad Suck Square at the corner of Oak and Front Streets in downtown Conway. Sponsored by the Conway Park and Recreation program, the cinema is staffed by volunteers, with event proceeds going to local charities. Movies are shown once a month on a 25-foot screen and start at dark. Prior to the movie, you can enjoy local entertainment that includes bands, karaoke and magicians. Come, bring your lawn chairs, and enjoy the movie and concessions. The cinema runs from April through October and draws about 600 people per movie.

Shopping
If your kind of entertainment is shopping, then you’ve come to the right place. Conway has a thriving downtown area of specialty and antique shops. Beyond the downtown area is Conway Commons, the town’s mall. The dozens of retailers that you’ll find at Conway Commons provide brand-name shopping along with convenient services. Big-name department store anchors combine with trendy new apparel and specialty shops to make the mall a cornerstone of retail activity in the central Arkansas area.

Shopping comes in all shapes and sizes in the area. In addition to the downtown district and Conway Commons Mall, there are several thriving strip malls located throughout the city. You’ll also find the ever-popular mega-retailers that specialize in one-stop shopping.

Dining
Diners can choose from an eclectic menu that includes everything from pizza and barbecue to seafood and steak. Conway offers an unsurpassed variety of menus certain to satisfy everyone. Over the years, the region has attracted a unique blend of national and family-owned restaurants. With close to 60 restaurants to choose from, diners can enjoy popular chain restaurants for casual family dining or splurge at a fine-dining establishment for a special occasion. Ethnic restaurants include Mexican, Italian, Chinese and Japanese.