Elsewhere in entertainment, events and the arts this weekend:
ART: Large-format photos
“Cig Harvey: From Red to Violet,” large-format color photography by Harvey, is up through Oct. 13 at the Baum Gallery, in the West Wing of McCastlain Hall at the University of Central Arkansas, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday. Admission is free. Visit uca.edu/art/baum.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Harvey’s work will be projected onto the southwest exterior wall of UCA’s Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 8-10 p.m. Sept. 21-23 and Oct. 11-13. Harvey will give a public gallery talk, 1:40-2:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Baum Gallery and a public lecture, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 in McCastlain’s Art Lecture Hall 143.
Conway Art Walk
The Conway Art Walk returns Friday, along Oak Street from Chestnut Street to Front Street, and moving to the first Friday of each month. In addition to artist booths and downtown shopping, attractions will include art installations, musical performances (7-8 p.m. on the Kris Allen Stage) and new gallery spaces and extend to Conway’s Simon Park. The park will also host a pop-up Family Maker Space, sponsored by the Conway Downtown Partnership, and a food truck. Visit conwayartwalk.com.
Spa City gallery
"Wildflowers" by Mark Blaney is on display through September at Justus Fine Art in Hot Springs. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette)
Paintings by Mark Blaney, paintings and sculptures by Robyn Horn and work by painter, illustrator and graphic designer Steven Schneider headline the September exhibit at Justus Fine Art Gallery, 827A Central Ave., Hot Springs, opening with a Gallery Walk reception, 5-9 p.m. Friday. The exhibit will be up through Sept. 31; Blaney and Schneider will participate in a casual gallery Tea Talk at 10 a.m. Saturday. Admission to the reception, Tea Talk and the gallery are free; gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and by appointment. Call (501) 321-2335 or visit justusfineart.com.
‘Close to Home’
“Close to Home,” artwork that honors the legacy of Fred Danzig (1920-2015), including Danzig’s sculpture and sketches and works by sisters Rose Schwartz (1922-2017) and Edith Grossman (1924-2021), his niece Lari Schwartz (born 1952) and his great-niece Abigail Smithson (born 1988), is on display through Sept. 9 at in the Kresge Gallery, Alphin Building, Lyon College, 2300 Highland Road, Batesville. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. Admission is free. Call (870) 307-7336 or email [email protected].
‘Couples That Create’
“Couples That Create: Carly Dahl & Dustyn Bork,” paintings with hand-drawn details by Dahl and prints and paintings by Bork, is up through September at Arkansas State University-Beebe’s England Center Art Gallery, 201 N. Orange St., Beebe. Admission is free. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call (501) 882-8913 or (501) 882-4495.
MUSIC: Hispanic heritage
La Original Banda El Limon, known for their Banda style of play, focusing on brass and percussion instruments, will help visitors to Magic Springs Theme and Water Park, East Grand Avenue (U.S. 70 East), Hot Springs, celebrate Hispanic culture for the park’s annual Hispanic Heritage Day, 7 p.m. Sunday. Mexican singer-songwriter Galito de la Salsa opens the show. Concerts are included with daily park admission — $39.99 plus tax for anyone 4 and older — or with a season pass. Take blankets and chairs; Sunday is also the park’s last Cooler Sunday for the season; guests can also take coolers packed with food and drinks, but no alcoholic beverages or glass containers. Visit bit.ly/MAGNewsR.
FILM: Pros and ‘Khans’
A special director’s cut of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” heads to the big screen to mark the 40th anniversary of the film’s original release, via Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Paramount Pictures:
◼️ Sunday: In Little Rock, 4 p.m. at Breckenridge 12, 4 and 7 p.m. at Colonel Glenn 18, 7 p.m. at Movie Tavern; in Fayetteville, 4 p.m. at the Razorback Cinema; and in Fort Smith, 4 p.m. at the Malco Ft. Smith Cinema.
◼️ Monday and Sept. 8: 7 p.m. Breckenridge 12, Colonel Glenn 18 and Movie Tavern in Little Rock, Razorback Cinema in Fayetteville and the Malco Ft. Smith Cinema in Fort Smith.
Ticket information is available at FathomEvents.com.
DANCE: Tap for youth
The Untapped Youth Ensemble will hold free master classes for dancers ages 10-17, 7:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 15-Dec. 15, at Shuffles & Ballet II, 1521 Merrill Drive, Little Rock. Instructors are company members of professional tap dance company Untapped; participants perform in Untapped events and assist in our community workshops. Sign up at untappedlittlerock.org/youthensemble.
ETC.: Banned Books Week
The Central Arkansas Library System’s Banned Books Week, Sept. 18-24, will feature a writing contest, book giveaways and film screenings, focusing on the book “Melissa” by Alex Gino. Previously published as “George,” the story of self-acceptance and friendship, weaving in E.B. White’s classic, “Charlotte’s Web,” topped the American Library Association’s list of the most challenged books in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Send submissions, Sept. 1-14, for the ninth annual Banned Books Writing Contest — 250-1,000 words, typed — by mail (CALS Banned Books Writing Contest, c/o Six Bridges, 100 Rock St., Little Rock, Ark. 72201) or email: [email protected]. Participants must be 16 or older. The winner will receive $400; there will also be a $100 honorable mention prize.
Gino will discuss the book, the retitling and censorship at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22, virtually with Luanne Racher, an area champion for transgender health, who will be onstage at the Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave., Little Rock. The discussion will precede the 7:45 p.m. screening of the film “Transhood” and the announcement of the writing contest winners. The animated film version of “Charlotte’s Web” will screen at 2 p.m. Sept. 24 at the theater.
Other Banned Book week events include a “Gender Euphoria: Self Portraiture” workshop, 4 p.m., Sept. 22 at CALS Main Library, 100 Rock St., and a “Melissa” read-a-thon, 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 24 in the alley between the theater and the Roberts Library.
The library system will give away 50 copies each of “Melissa” and “Charlotte’s Web” on a first-come, first-served basis starting today — request a copy of either or both books by emailing [email protected] with “Crazy Free Books” in the subject line and include a mailing address. Visit cals.org/banned-books-week-2022, call (501) 918-3098 or email [email protected].
Massive melons
The Old Washington Farmers Market will host an official watermelon weigh-off for the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth in Washington, Ark., around 11 a.m. Saturday behind the City Hall of Washington, across the street from Williams’ Tavern Restaurant at Historic Washington State Park, on U.S. 278 West, eight miles north from the Hope exit (Exit 30) off Interstate 30. Prizes will go to the top three largest watermelons — $500 for first place, $300 for second, $200 for third. In a youth category for growers who are 14 and younger, first place will earn $75, second place $50 and third place $25. Only one official entry will be considered per farmer or team. Call (870) 703-8256 or email [email protected].
Arts Council fellowships
The Arkansas Arts Council and the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, in partnership with the Windgate Foundation, is awarding 18 $5,000 Individual Artist Fellowship awards in six categories:
◼️ Multisensory Art: Emmy-nominated composer, musician and sound artist Amos Cochran of Van Buren; sound-and-light artist Craig Colorusso of Rogers; abstract artist Brande Wilkerson of Austin
◼️ Community Engagement Art: Lakisha Bradley of Fayetteville, social-practice artist and founder of MY-T-BY-DESIGN Therapeutic Art Studios; Tanya Hollifield of Little Rock, creator of expressive, figurative drawings and public engagement art projects; director, actor, producer and writer Laura Shatkus of Fayetteville
◼️ Contemporary Craft: furniture/woodworker Liz Koerner of Little Rock; quiltmaker James Matthews of Little Rock; fiber artist Dani Ives of Rogers
◼️ Performance Art: Mississippi Delta Blues Contemporary Songwriting or Score: singer-songwriter Charlotte Taylor of Jacksonville; singer Crystina Smart; singer-songwriter Benjamin Brenner of Little Rock
◼️ Visual Arts: Graphic Novel or Narrative: Sean Fitzgibbon of Fayetteville; Robert Bean and Kasten Searles of Little Rock
◼️ Literary Arts: Flash Fiction or Flash Creative Nonfiction: Leah Harris of Hot Springs; Joy Clark of Fayetteville; Lily Buday of Fayetteville
A reception will recognize the recipients, 5-7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Little Rock’s Historic Arkansas Museum. Admission is free and open to the public.
TICKETS: Elmo makes magic
Elmo discovers the “power of yet” in “Sesame Street Live! Make Your Magic,” 4 p.m. Nov. 4 and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Nov. 5 at North Little Rock’s Theater@Simmons Bank Arena, the arena’s smaller audience theater. Tickets — $17-$57 plus service charges — go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the arena box office and via Ticketmaster.com.