History of ACO
Early metamorphic stages of the arts in Springdale
The year was 1966, Lyndon B Johnson was president, The Sound of Music won the Oscar for Best Film, Cabaret debuted on Broadway, and gas hovered around .30 cents a gallon, and that same year, the Springdale Music Club hosted a city-wide, summer music festival which offered piano teachers, their students, writers, and visual artists opportunities to display their talents in a variety of venues during the week-long event. From the success of this festival, a trio of music teachers decided that a permanent hub for the arts in Springdale was a necessity for the creative spirit of young and old. Through the efforts of the Springdale Music Club, the Springdale Chamber of Commerce, and civic leaders throughout the community, the Springdale Fine Arts Council was established. The Council evolved into The Springdale Fine Arts Association, and eventually became known as The Springdale Fine Arts Center, (SFAC), in 1968. Before purchasing a historic church in downtown Springdale in 1972, The SFAC hosted music and theater performances in venues throughout the city.
In 1973, the SFAC merged with the Council of Ozark Artists and Craftsmen to create the Arts Center of the Ozarks, (ACO).
In 1973, the SFAC merged with the Council of Ozark Artists and Craftsmen to create the Arts Center of the Ozarks, (ACO). The ACO concentrated on presenting community theater, with a secondary focus on music and visual arts. Performances were professionally directed with a cadre of dedicated volunteer actors, technical and production crews, and supporting team members. In the heart of downtown, just off Emma Street in 1991, ACO’s performance home included a 375 seat performance hall, gallery spaces, classrooms, offices, and a black performance space. Over the next 3 decades, ACO produced award-winning shows, plays, and musicals. The staff was also committed to developing art-focused programming for teens and children, hosting public events, teaching classes, and art exhibitions.
As the Northwest Arkansas region continued to see substantial growth in population, the need for diverse representation in the arts became evident to meet an evolving and culturally rich community. The mission of the ACO evolved to using the Arts to help Springdale become a vibrant and inclusive community in which to live, work, and create. Then came the year 2020.
Then came the year 2020: INTERMISSION
In 2020, the world experienced a global pandemic, forcing the performing and visual arts into temporary darkness. Stage lights went black, theaters closed, restaurants and bars were shuttered, museums and galleries were not able to welcome visitors, and the creative culture went into hibernation. Many venues and arts organizations were unable to re-open due to the complete halt of sales, bookings, sponsorships, grants, and other revenue sources as a result of the pandemic shut down. 2021 was the year of reemergence, reinvention, and pivoting to greet a new event and performance culture whose goals became safety as a priority while employing innovation and creative thinking to offer accessible and fulfilling art enrichment.
This “intermission” created an opportunity to re-establish how to best serve the community and provide quality arts experiences. For sustainability of the programs, the Arts Center of the Ozark’s staff and Board of Directors carefully evaluated the organization’s mission. Selling the building to the Tyson Family Foundation allowed the organization the opportunity to continue the legacy of the ACO while expanding their options for community outreach. This building located just off Emma Avenue in downtown, now known as 214, houses CACHE Creative. This step by the Board and staff allowed another evolution of the organization, one that valued empowering artists, enriching business, and engaging communities.
The future emerges and ARTS ONE PRESENTS is born.
For over half a century Springdale and the Northwest Arkansas community, with an appreciation for local arts, have given much love and support to the Arts Center of the Ozarks and its earlier incarnations. We look forward to honoring the spirit of that first summer festival in 1966 and are dedicated to advancing the community’s mulit-cultural fabric through the visual and performing arts. Just as the ACO was born out of earlier arts organizations that rose to meet the community’s needs, the ACO is rising into its new phase of life, and the Springdale community is embracing the emergence of Arts One Presents!