A jazz pianist and a vocalist wrote an ode to the Little Rock Nine to present at the Central High School National Historic Site on the 60th anniversary of its integration. The performance is coming to the Fayetteville Public Library this Friday, Sept. 24. 

• The show is called ‘No Tears Suite,’ and it honors past sacrifice as well as current efforts for a more just and equal society. In Friday’s performance, the original two artists will be joined by 5 exceptional jazz musicians.
• A partnership between Fayetteville Roots and Reverend Turner of Vernon AME Church in Tulsa, OK resulted in a restored Hammond CV organ and historic microphones to be used in Tulsa's performance.

For more information and free tickets, click HERE. 

The Parks and Recreation Department of Fayetteville is killing it, and it has a plethora of awards to show for it. 

• Five awards went to Fayetteville’s Parks Dept at the Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association Annual Conference in Hot Springs this past week.
• The recognition was for a variety of projects and programs. Fayetteville’s Esports program won an award along with the new mountain biking trails in Gregory Park, the Niokaska Creek Trail, the Trees Arbor Day event, and the 5 community litter stations along the Razorback Greenway. 

Read more about the awards HERE. 

Who else is dreaming about fall festivities? Northwest Arkansas is gearing up to celebrate the next season with Ozarktober, and we couldn’t be more pumped. 

• As a part of Ozarktober, the Downtown Springdale Alliance is hosting Brews & Tunes Oct. 16 on the grounds of Natural State Rock and Republic. Gates open at 3p and the party doesn’t stop until 8p. 
• The brews and tunes will of course be provided by local breweries and artists. Bike Rack Brewing, Hawk Moth, and Black Apple Hard Cider will be there along with some sick local artists like SHIPP providing rock and blues, the Irie Lions with some reggae vibes and others you’ll have to wait and see. 

Get your tickets HERE. 

The Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange, also known as CACHE, conducted a comprehensive survey titled CACHE Canvas 2021. It dives into the arts, culture, and creative community of Northwest Arkansas.

• The intention of the survey was to identify systematic needs and provide a strategic direction for the CACHE program to develop further alongside other community leaders. CACHE declares it is committed to continually assessing and adapting to community needs. 
• The findings show primarily that artists and non-profits face similar obstacles when it comes to thriving in the current creative ecosystem, primarily revolving around accessibility to a marketplace. The survey is comparable to a 2019 survey conducted by The National Endowment for the Arts.

Read the full CACHE Canvas findings HERE. 

Arkansas is slated to receive 98 Afghan refugees, 49 of whom will be welcomed by Northwest Arkansas. 

• Resettlement in NWA is taking place at Canopy, a non-profit in Fayetteville. It has housed nearly 200 refugees since 2016, and with the help of the community, has helped each individual integrate culturally. 
• A vital role in helping the refugee households lies with Co-Sponsor teams, which are groups of 6-8 people. These groups are comprised of volunteers and can be anyone who completes the Co-Sponsor training. As a part of a team you would work with Canopy staff to walk alongside a family during their first 6 months in the US. 

Learn more about Co-Sponsoring HERE.