Little Rock Art Schools

Though the capital city of Arkansas has a wonderfully colorful history, it was not until the ascendancy of a certain U.S. president that the city of Little Rock entered the national consciousness. In fact, until that point, Little Rock enjoyed a more staid existence typically found in many Southern cities, where the hustle and bustle of metropolitan living meets small town sensibility. Recently, however, Little Rock has shown tremendous growth in tourism (largely due to the opening of President Clinton’s presidential library) and, as a result, the local art scene has absolutely taken off. In fact, from the halls of the government buildings to the walls of various local diners, evidence of local artistry seems omnipresent. Long known as “The City of Roses”, Little Rock’s most visible art attraction is the Arkansas Art Center, which maintains an expansive museum, a children’s theatre, and a museum school. The museum itself exhibits works from masters such as Rembrandt, Whistler, Rivera, and Lichtenstein, as well as a collection of contemporary objects in craft media. More than anything else, however, the local galleries are what have drawn most of the art enthusiasts to the city. The River Market area has such popular galleries as the always talked about ArtSpace Gallery, as well as the Hearne Fine Arts Gallery, a space primarily devoted to the works of African-Americans. Additionally, the more bohemian neighborhood known as Heights has a great many galleries, especially Cantrell Gallery and Chroma Gallery, which highlights the works of many local artists. Unfortunately, the only real choice for an art student deciding to study in Little Rock is the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Despite the dearth of art institutions, however, the art department at Arkansas is as dynamic as it is comprehensive, making the choice to attend school there an excellent one.