WESTERN ART EXHIBIT OPENS SATURDAY

By Eva Marie Pearson/Commercial Accent Editor

Planning, under way for several months, will come to fruition Saturday with the first of two days of events scheduled during Westward Ho Weekend, the grand opening of the “Frederic Remington Makes Tracks” exhibit.

Dabney Pelton, chairman of the exhibits committee for the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, made the report during the board of trustees’ meeting Thursday at the center.

Pioneer Days will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and will include a variety of Western-related activities (story on Page 4A). On Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m., a reception and gallery talk by Margo Lynch are planned.

Charlotte England, Art Krewe chairman, noted that the Art Krewe will host the reception Sunday. The group has also elected Mary Shannon Fikes chairman and will hold its annual meeting in January.

The performing arts committee will meet in early December to finalize the 2009 theater season, according to Matt Soto, committee chairman.

Charles “Chip” King, board chairman, reminded the members about Potpourri, set for Dec. 5 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.

Reservations are coming in strongly, according to Janelle Powell, interim executive director of the center. The chairmen have worked hard to include younger, newer members of the community, and they have secured a broad spectrum of donations for the silent and live auctions.

Anyone in the community who did not receive an invitation and would like one may call the center, she said.

In her written report, Leigh Cockrum Philippi, chairman of the membership committee, asked the trustees to personally contact inactive business members and talk to them about joining the center.

“Our year-to-date membership revenue is $61,326,” Philippi said. “Although this is below our goal, we hope that through contact with inactive business members and prospective high renewals in December we will be closer than we are now.”

The committee also recommended that the center join the Greater Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce.

Sammye Owen reported on the Hands-on Experiential Learning Project (HELP), a collaboration between the Mid-America Arts Alliance and Arkansas Arts Council.

The center was one of 20 museums from throughout the state invited to participate, including two others from Pine Bluff, the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Historical Museum and the Arkansas Railroad Museum. One of the results of the two-day meeting was a list of goals to help improve the experiences of both the staff and board.