Last year was a record-setting year for Arkansas's tourism and hospitality sector, according to Talk Business & Politics's latest Jan-Oct 2022 Arkansas Tourism Ticker.

• Fast pace: Benton and Washington Counties led the state in year-over-year hospitality tax revenue growth. Benton County saw a 56.3% increase over 2021, bringing in $2.6m, and Washington County collected $1.76m, a 37.6% increase.
• City to city: Behind Little Rock, Fayetteville brought in the second-highest revenue from tourism, collecting $7.83m, a 16.6% increase over its 2021 numbers.

Read more details from Talk Business & Politics HERE.

New York City-based artist Risa Puno will return to NWA to discuss her art installation, Come By, currently on display at Downtown Springdale’s Famous Hardware building. The free reception begins at 6pm on Feb 9 at The Medium at 214 S Main Street. 

• Meet the artists: Puno will be joined by contributing artists Amber Perrodin of Springdale and Reilly Dickens-Hoffman of Fayetteville for a lively discussion over complimentary snacks and beverages, followed by a walk with the artists to view the installation. 
• In the window: Famous Hardware Installations are a collaboration between the Downtown Springdale Alliance and CACHE with funding support from the Tyson Family Foundation.

Please RSVP for the event HERE.

February is Black History Month, a celebration of the achievements and recognition of the Black community's central role in U.S. history, and there are numerous ways to celebrate in Northwest Arkansas.

• On-screen: Support Black arts, music, and film with Music Moves during the Arkansas Black Music & Film Expo in Fayetteville on Feb 17-18 with film screenings at the Fayetteville Town Center and concerts at George's Majestic Lounge.
• In business: The fifth Black Owned Business Expo is set for Feb 25 from 10a-4p at the Fayetteville Town Center, showcasing over 60 businesses from the region with wares ranging from vintage apparel to baked goods, candles, and more.

Check out the Black in NWA newsletter for more events HERE.

Fayetteville's Mount Sequoyah Center will launch AMMPLIFY, which stands for Arts & Music Mentorship Program, on May 6, bringing a multi-disciplinary festival and training opportunity for the region's emerging artists.

• Creative investment: Led by the center's Creative Spaces NWA program and funded by a grant from the Walmart Foundation, the primary goal of AMMPLIFY is to further establish Fayetteville as a creative-friendly city where artists connect, develop, and flourish.
• Apprentice: Over the 18-month program, mentors in graphic design, visual arts, AV technology, music management, music performance, and arts management will guide participants through the process of creating a festival-style event on the mountain.

Follow along with AMMPLIFY on Instagram for updates HERE.

Making Northwest Arkansas proud, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt have been listed among Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies for 2023.

• Not their first rodeo: Tyson Foods ranked No. 1 in the Food Production category for the seventh year in a row, and J.B. Hunt made the prestigious list for the 12th time in the company's history.
• Reputation: The annual survey by Fortune and Korn Ferry measures corporate reputation and performance on key attributes like employee retention, innovation, social responsibility, global effectiveness, and more.

KNWA details why these companies are globally admired HERE.