Conference Registration Check-In

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center

Arts Administrators and Community Arts Leaders

ArtLinks Day One welcomes arts administrators and community arts leaders. Join us for a full-day of session topics including arts advocacy, strengthening partnerships with other organizations and the link between arts, health and well-being.   

8:00 - 9: 00 a.m. Conference Registration
Coffee, tea and light breakfest items will be provided.

Local + Regional
9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Arkansas Arts Council
Meet Arkansas Arts Council staff who will provide insight into the state agency's grants, programs and initiatives. 

9:50 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. Arkansans for the Arts
Speaker: Sarah Burns, board member for Arkansans for the Arts

Sarah Burns will provide insight into recent advocacy efforts, including highlights from Arts Advocacy Day at the Capitol during this past spring’s legislative session. She will spotlight the newly named Arkansas Fine Arts Teacher of the Year and share actionable steps you can take today to support and strengthen the arts across our state. 

10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Mid-America Arts Alliance
Speaker: Margaret Keough, director of advocacy for Mid-America Arts Alliance in Kansas City, Mo.

Margaret Keough will share information about regional opportunities for Arkansas arts organizations and discusses the importance of advocacy work. 

Break
10:45-11:00 a.m.

Partnerships + Collaborations
11:00 a.m. - Noon
Speaker: Gabe Holstrom, nonprofit consultant and former executive director for Downtown Little Rock Partnership

In these unstable economic times when funding sources can be unpredictable, collaboration and partnerships are more important than ever. Working together can be essential for survival and growth, allowing your organization to overcome financial challenges, expand your reach, and enhance the impact on your community. As the former director of Downtown Little Rock Partnership, Holmstrom discusses the bridge-building skills he learned in state and national politics to help move downtown LR to a more vibrant and better utilized resource.  

Lunch Break
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch will be held in the ballroom on the third floor.

Artist Spotlight: Afrique Aya
1:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Speaker: Rex Deloney

ArtLinks attendees will be treated to a special live performance by Afrique Aya, featuring Angelo Yao. Afrique Aya is a group of dancers and drummers dedicated to enjoying and sharing the music and culture of West Africa. Through presentations and events designed to bring people together, Afrique Aya connects with a rich tradition of storytelling, lyrical movement and music that convey a vibrant, universal narrative. 

The Arts of Health and Well-being: How Creative Expression Supports Health and Healing
1:30 - 2:45 p.m.
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Moore, Founding Dean, School of Occupational Therapy, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, Fort Smith

As Americans seek more holistic and personalized approaches to health, the intersection of the arts and healthcare is gaining increasing recognition both anecdotally and through evidence-based research. Occupational therapy (OT), with its deep roots in meaningful engagement and therapeutic activity, is uniquely positioned to champion the role of creative expression in supporting health and well-being across the lifespan.

In this presentation, Dr. Moore explores the growing body of research demonstrating the impact of the arts on physical, emotional and cognitive health. From childhood through older adulthood, creative occupations such as music, visual arts, movement and storytelling can foster resilience, promote mental health and improve quality of life. Attendees will gain insight into both qualitative and quantitative research findings, as well as practical strategies for integrating arts-based interventions into community and clinical practice. In this session, we will identify opportunities for collaboration between health care providers, such as occupational therapy practitioners, and the arts sector to expand access to creative-health interventions.

Break
2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Expression in Action: Creative Arts for Wellness
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
Speaker: Cynthia Mathis, Instructor, School of Occupational Therapy, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education 

Creative expression is a powerful form of occupation that promotes healing, connection, and participation for individuals across the lifespan. Integrating creative arts therapies—such as music, visual art, dance/movement and expressive writing—into healthcare and community programming can support physical, emotional and cognitive health. From an occupational therapy perspective, these expressive modalities offer accessible and meaningful ways to engage individuals of all abilities in the therapeutic process. 

In this interactive session, Cynthia will guide attendees through a hands-on creative arts experience. Participants will explore how adapting creative processes can enhance well-being and support occupational engagement.

ArtLinks Day 3 focuses on empowering individual artists through collaboration and partnerships that can reduce reliance on nonprofit and government funding while giving artists control over their own futures and arts projects.

Conference Registration Check-In
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
Coffee, tea and light breakfast items will be provided.

9:00 - 9:30 a.m. Welcome and Introduction: Thriving Together
Speakers: Scarlet Sims, artist services manager with the Arkansas Arts Council, will talk about the importance of partnerships and collective work in creative communities statewide.

CONCURRENT SESSION

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Business + Artist Collaboration = Funding
Speaker: Robert Bean is a professional artist and educator, Little Rock

While artists and small businesses remain stuck in survivor mode, many continue to overlook collaborations that could have huge returns on investments, including reaching new audiences, joint marketing, creative solutions and more. Joint events, bartered services and community outreach between both individual artists and businesses could help keep both thriving statewide  

9:45 a.m. -10:45 a.m.  Starting a Business or Nonprofit in the Arts (or both)
Speakers: Nick Stevens, education and event specialist, Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, Little Rock

Lunch Break
11 a.m. to noon
Lunch will be held in the Ballroom.

Panel discussions TBD.

ArtLinks Day Two is an invitation for arts-in-education teaching artists to learn more about the Arkansas Arts Council’s AIE roster and participate in an afternoon of interactive activities led by an arts integration professional.   

Conference Registration/Check-in
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.

Coffee, tea and light breakfast items will be provided.

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Speakers:

• Matt Boyce, Arts in Education Manager, Arkansas Arts Council
• Virmarie DePoyster, AIE roster teaching artist and professional artist, North Little Rock
• Michael Eubanks, AIE roster teaching artist and professional musician, North Little Rock
  

Step into the shoes of experienced teaching artists as they share their journeys working on the Arts in Education Roster. In this session, two long-time roster artists will reflect on how their work has evolved across different classrooms and communities. They will discuss the joys and challenges of adapting their artistic practice for educational settings, highlight memorable collaborations, and offer insight into how being part of the roster has shaped their careers and approach to teaching. This is a unique opportunity to hear candid stories and gain wisdom from seasoned professionals deeply engaged in arts education. 

Break
10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Speakers:

• Allison Clark, Education Programmer, Learning Through the Arts, Hot Springs
• Shakeelah Rahmaan, Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, Pine Bluff

Hear from two arts organizations that utilize AIE grants and programming. Learn how they develop their programming and build partnerships with artists and schools. Teaching artists will receive tips on how to apply AIE practices, methods, curriculum and programming when working with arts organizations and in the schools.   

Lunch
Noon - 1 p.m.
Conference participants enjoy a box lunch while networking with peers.

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Speaker Kassie Misiewicz, is a professional Theatre for Youth director, actor, John F. Kennedy Center National Teaching Artist and national arts integration consultant with Focus 5, Inc. 

Break
2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Speaker Kassie Misiewicz, is a professional Theatre for Youth director, actor, John F. Kennedy Center National Teaching Artist and national arts integration consultant with Focus 5, Inc. 

Arts in Education is more than working in schools. Learn about opportunities for creative aging and lifelong learning, veteran’s programming, and other non-traditional AIE programs.