The ASO River Rhapsodies series continues tonight

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Scott

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra continues the 2019-2020 River Rhapsodies Chamber Music season with Musical Images, Tuesday, January 28^th at 7:00 p.m. at the Clinton Presidential Center.

ASO’s Quapaw String Quartet, along with other musicians will perform Golijov’s Tenebrae; Kinan Azmeh’s The Fence, the Rooftop, and the Distant Sea; Paul Reade’s Suite from The Victorian Kitchen Garden; and Elgar’s Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 82.

River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Concerts are held in the intimate setting of the Clinton Presidential Center’s Great Hall. A cash bar is open before the concert and at intermission, and patrons are invited to carry drinks into the concert. The Media Sponsor for the River Rhapsodies Chamber Music Series is UA Little Rock Public Radio.

General Admission tickets are $26; active duty military and student tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at www.ArkansasSympohny.org; at the Clinton Center beginning 60 minutes prior to a concert; or by phone at 501-666-1761, ext. 1.

Artists
Quapaw String Quartet
–Meredith Maddox Hicks, violin
–Charlotte Crosmer, violin
–Timothy MacDuff, viola
–David Gerstein, cello
Kiril Laskarov, violin
Andrew Irvin, violin
Kelly Johnson, clarinet
Katherine Williamson, violin
Stephen Feldman, cello
Alisa Coffey, harp
Jason Pennington, piano

Happy Birthday to Skip Rutherford!

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Scott

Though a native of Batesville (and a proud booster to this day), James L. “Skip” Rutherford has lived in Little Rock for many years. While he was a student at the University of Arkansas, he probably never envisioned the impact he would have on the cultural scene of Little Rock.

After moving to Little Rock, Skip (and his wife Billie) became civic boosters which often involved attending or promoting cultural events. However, by the mid-1990s, this moved into a whole new realm.

Skip was one of the visionaries behind the creation of a Central High Visitors Center. His interest in this project combined his interests in public service, public policy, and public schools. This was an extension of his work as an aide to Senator David Pryor from 1979 to 1983 and a Little Rock School Board member from 1987 to 1991. As the 40th anniversary of the integration of Little Rock Central High approached, Skip worked with Mayor Jim Dailey and others to plan the 1997 commemoration activities as well as the 1998 recognition of the Women’s Emergency Committee.

A few weeks after the Central High 40th anniversary events in September 1997, President Clinton announced that Little Rock would be the site of his Presidential Library. As President of the Clinton Foundation, he was involved in the planning for not only the construction of the building but also the grand opening festivities. Through his efforts, the City’s major cultural institutions all had events in conjunction with the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center.

In 2006, he followed Sen. David Pryor in the role of Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service. Among his accomplishments in this role has been the expansion of the Clinton School Speaker Series. This free series of lectures and public discussions has added immensely to Little Rock’s cultural life. Topics range from foreign relations to domestic policy, from social services to community philanthropy, The lecture series has also focused on productions at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, guest artists with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, books by historians, and many other cultural topics over the years.

That he would oversee the expansion of this lecture program should not be a surprise. He is also the founder (in 1983) of the Political Animals Club. While the original, non-partisan group still meets regularly in Little Rock, several other affiliates have been created in other portions of the state. He has always been one for civil, civic dialogue.

In April and May 2018, Skip was one of the civic leaders who stepped up to promote efforts to save the Arkansas Repertory Theatre. He was also involved in the planning and promotion of the Elizabeth Eckford Bench which was installed near Little Rock Central High School in September 2018. Later that month, he presided over an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Women’s Emergency Committee.

Tomorrow night (January 29), the Clinton School will feature a conversation with Elizabeth Eckford at 5pm at Statehouse Convention Center.

Learn about the visual art of the Mississippi River Delta in the newest exhibit at Clinton Center

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Scott

The Clinton Presidential Center’s newest temporary exhibit, The Mighty Mississippi: HeART and Soul of the Southern Delta, presents elements of culture from the last 120 years with roots in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana and features a selection of visual art that brings visitors face-to-face with the privilege and poverty that defines life in the Southern Delta. It is on display through March 22.

In the exhibit, visitors will experience the music of the region that combined the traditions of many into a regional sound that spread far and wide along with the largest outmigration in U.S. History.

This exhibit celebrates the true heart and soul of the Delta through dynamic visual art, music, and artifacts. The centerpiece of the exhibit is a walk-in juke joint where guests can enjoy the unique sounds of the Delta Blues – the musical genre that paved the way for modern Rock, country, R&B, and hip-hop.

This is a continuation of Clinton Center’s Fusion: Arts + Humanities Arkansas theme “The Mighty Mississippi” begun in 2019.

Fusion 2020 is made possible because of the generous support of Centennial Bank, Little Rock Port Authority, Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission, Union Pacific Foundation, and the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma.

Relive the 1990s in new Clinton Center exhibit

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Scott

“As if” anyone could forget the prosperous, golden hopeful years of the 1990s! The Clinton Presidential Center is bringing back the decade that brought us blockbuster movies, must-see television shows, genre-changing music, iconic fashion, collectible toys, and the rise of PCs and the World Wide Web.

This exhibit features an exciting and diverse display – from props and scripts to fashion and tech – that, together, will tell the story of popular culture in the United States at the end of the 20th century. You won’t want to miss Rose’s dress and Jack’s drawing portfolio from Titanic, scripts from The West Wing, one of Garth Brooks’ Stetson Cowboys hats, and, of course, a collection of Beanie Babies that were sent to the Clinton family during the White House years. you’ll definitely want to bring all your “Friends” for a special “perk”-y photo op!

Throughout the exhibit, you’ll have the opportunity to play a variety of interactive games that focus on the era, including ’90s trivia, Pogs, a giant crossword puzzle with ’90s clues, and a ’90s-style video game!

At the Clinton Center, we’ll “never let go” of the 1990s, and we invite you to join us in taking a trip down memory lane with …Like It’s 1999: American Popular Culture in the 1990s, on display to May 25, 2020.

19 LR Cultural Touchstones in 2019. Part 5: Six Bridges Book Fest, Shock the Rock! with Museum of Discovery, and Artspace Rocks!

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Scott

The penultimate look back at 19 Little Rock cultural milestones in 2019 with numbers 14 to 16.

14 – CALS rebrands literary festival as Six Bridges Book Festival. Previously known for 16 years as the Arkansas Literary Festival, this summer, the Central Arkansas Library System announced that starting with the April 2020 event, it would be known as Six Bridges Book Festival.

The four-day event in April celebrates reading, literacy, stories and wordsmithing including musical lyrics. Scores of nationally known authors converge on the city to offer panels on a wide variety of topics, from cooking demonstrations to award-winning comedy to personal stories of tornado-chasing. A slate of programming for children and teens includes hands-on crafts and music, animal visits, poetry contests, and more. Authors also venture out into the community for efforts such as “Writers in the Schools” (WITS), bringing the joy of writing to hundreds of students in the Little Rock area. Concerts, films, readings, and author parties enhance the festive atmosphere across 18 venues in downtown Little Rock.

The continuing success of the festival and its mission to encourage the enjoyment of reading and literacy have led CALS leadership to envision an even larger and more widely appealing festival for the future. By actively soliciting community input from all demographic groups and throughout the region, CALS plans to draw more people to experience the rich atmosphere of the festival and to see for themselves that the Six Bridges Book Festival offers something for everyone.

CALS Executive Director Nate Coulter noted, “The label ‘literary’ doesn’t describe the wide variety of festival offerings available to our community members. And the word can be off-putting to those who associate it with books they were made to read in school, rather than books they like now. The Six Bridges Book Festival is a diverse, energetic celebration of all kinds of stories and topics, both literary and mainstream, and we feel the new name reflects the festival’s nature more accurately. Our goal is to draw a wider audience by removing any barriers of perception that this event is only for highbrow tastes.”

The 17th annual festival now known as the Six Bridges Book Festival will take place April 23-26, 2020. Community organizations and community members at CALS branch libraries will soon be involved in the planning process.

15 – Museum of Discovery “Shocked the Rock” with 40 feet tall Tesla Coil. Thousands of fans of famed inventor Nikola Tesla (or of the Museum of Discovery) flocked downtown on July 20 to witness the world’s largest Tesla Coil in action at “Shock the Rock!,” a Tesla-themed, free event on the grounds of the Clinton Presidential Center. “Shock the Rock!” was powered by Entergy and presented by the Museum of Discovery.

Greg Leyh, a California electrical engineer and scientist, completed construction of the 40-foot Tesla coil tower in October 2018 and displayed its awesome capabilities in Little Rock after his world-record device is featured at a Nikola Tesla birthday party celebration July 13 at the Tesla Science Center in Wardenclyffe, NY.

Leyh’s latest world-record coil was centered on the large concrete pad at the western edge of the Clinton Center grounds cordoned off from the crowd, ensuring zero danger from being on-site to watch the awesome power of 60-foot bolts of lightning.

Pre-“Shock the Rock!” festivities included electricity-related demonstrations and host hands-on, interactive activities with guests.

16 – Artspace Rocks. Over 300 people gathered in July at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center for the Artspace Rocks first public event. It was part-description of what Artspace does, part-celebration of the vibrant Little Rock arts scene, part-networking event, and part-performance. It was all fun!

Artspace is the leading non-profit developer of live/work artist housing, artist studios, arts centers and arts-friendly businesses in the U.S. They specialize in creating, owning, and operating affordable spaces for artists and creative businesses. These spaces include live/work apartments for artists and their families, working artist studios, arts centers, commercial space for arts-friendly businesses, and other projects.

The Windgate Foundation invited Artspace to Little Rock to conduct a feasibility study during the first several months of 2019. They assembled a core committee made up of a diverse group from a variety of facets from the creative economy. The feasibility study process involved tours, focus groups, interviews, and the aforementioned public event. The name given to the Little Rock project was Artspace Rocks.

In September, a Creative Space Needs Survey was launched. It sought specific input from creative people, especially those interested in affordable space. Several hundred responses were received. In October, the preliminary feasibility study was released.

Artspace will be back in The Rocks at the end of January 2020 with more updates. Stay tuned….

19 LR Cultural Touchstones in 2019. Part 3: CALS Bobby Roberts Library, RBG and Nina T, and 15th anniversary of Clinton Center and Clinton School

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Scott

On the penultimate day of the year (and the 2010s decade), a look at numbers 8 through 10 of the 19 Little Rock cultural milestones in 2019.

8 – Dedication of the CALS Bobby Roberts Library. Though the name change had been approved months earlier, there had never been a formal naming event for the Central Arkansas Library System Bobby L. Roberts Library. In April 2019, in conjunction with the inaugural Maurice Smith Distinguished Lecture, CALS rectified it. In the presence of Roberts and many longtime library supporters, President Bill Clinton gave remarks at the event which was a tribute to his former staffer. (Roberts was on Clinton’s gubernatorial staff.)

The event took place in the CALS Ron Robinson Theatre, a component of the Arcade Building, which is adjacent to the Roberts Library. The two edifices make up the Library Square complex which rose in phases during Roberts’ more than two-decade tenure as director of CALS. Formally known as the CALS Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History & Art, it opened in 2009 as the Arkansas Studies Institute. The building consists of a new portion as well as the repurposing of the Geyer & Adams and the Porbeck & Bowman buildings. It houses the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, CALS’s Arkansas history department, meeting rooms, offices, and five galleries that feature art depicting the state or created by artists living in or from Arkansas.

In HIS remarks that evening, Roberts was his usual self-effacing persona who used his time to pay tribute to current and former CALS staff and trustees as well as to his family and his colleagues from his Clinton administration days. In so doing, Roberts demonstrated why the naming of the facility in his honor was appropriate with it being a home to historic documents and art as well as a place to facilitate conversations.

9 – Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Nina Totenberg. The Kumpuris Distinguished Lecture which took place on September 3, 2019, set records for Clinton School, Clinton Center, and Clinton Foundation programming.

Due to overwhelming ticket demand, the event’s locale was shifted first to UA Little Rock’s Jack Stephens Center and eventually the then-Verizon Arena. Before a crowd of an estimated 13,000 (with probably that many on the waiting list for tickets), Justice Ginsburg conversed with NPR journalist Nina Totenberg.

Following comments from Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford and Clinton Foundation Executive Director Stephanie S. Streett, the pair were introduced by President Bill Clinton. In his remarks, he noted that only one individual present had appointed her to the U.S. Supreme Court, and that only one person present had voted to confirm her (U. S. Senator David Pryor, who was in attendance). The crowd contained a who’s who of the Arkansas judicial and legal community as well as many state and local political officials from across the political spectrum.

Justice Ginsburg spent a great deal of time discussing her affection for two former colleagues who were her polar opposite on the court – Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Antonin Scalia. It was a reminder for the audience of the importance of being able to strongly disagree on political beliefs but to be able to value the person and treasure their friendship.

(And as someone who met Nina Totenberg in the late 1980s, it was remarkable to realize that she has not aged. At all. She obviously has a painting in her attic which IS aging.)

10 – 15 years of the Clinton Presidential Center and Clinton School of Public Service November 18, 2019, marked the 15th anniversary of the opening of the Clinton Presidential Center. This year also marked the 15th anniversary of the U of A Clinton School for Public Service.

Since opening its doors 15 years ago, the Clinton Center has welcomed 4.8 million visitors from around the world, and 430,000 students and educators have been inspired through educational and civic engagement opportunities. Likewise, the Clinton School has featured hundreds of speakers which have been seen by hundreds of thousands of attendees.

In conjunction with the 15th anniversary, the Clinton Foundation hosted the Domestic Policy Conference on Economic Inclusion and Growth. It brought together leaders and bipartisan representatives from state and local municipalities, nonprofits, and the philanthropic and private sectors to discuss the evolution and successes of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), proven approaches for urban and rural economic revitalization, supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, and how to further economic growth in underserved communities.

Ground broken for Clinton Library on December 5, 2001

Posted on December 5, 2019 by Scott

Eighteen years ago, the groundbreaking for the Clinton Library took place on December 5, 2001. It was dry and about thirty degrees warmer than the actual opening would be in November 2004.

The former president was joined by then-Mayor Jim Dailey, City Director Dean Kumpuris, contractor Bill Clark, Clinton Foundation executives Skip Rutherford & Stephanie S. Streett, and other dignitaries in turning the dirt. The location for the ceremony is now actually the parking lot for Sturgis Hall – the home of the Clinton School of Public Service and Clinton Foundation offices.

President Clinton was the only member of his family to attend the ceremony, which drew over 400 people. His wife, then the junior Senator from New York, was expecting some important floor votes in Washington DC, and daughter Chelsea was studying in England.

At the ceremony, Clinton joked “We’re going to try to build it in less than it took to build the medieval cathedrals and the Egyptian pyramids, but if I can’t rein in my team it may cost as much!” Of course by then the date was set for November 2004. Coordinating schedules of the current and former Presidents is an intricate act.

Little Rock Culture Vulture

Cultural events, places and people in the Little Rock area

Tag Archives: Clinton Presidential Center

The ASO River Rhapsodies series continues tonight

Happy Birthday to Skip Rutherford!

Learn about the visual art of the Mississippi River Delta in the newest exhibit at Clinton Center

Relive the 1990s in new Clinton Center exhibit

19 LR Cultural Touchstones in 2019. Part 5: Six Bridges Book Fest, Shock the Rock! with Museum of Discovery, and Artspace Rocks!

19 LR Cultural Touchstones in 2019. Part 3: CALS Bobby Roberts Library, RBG and Nina T, and 15th anniversary of Clinton Center and Clinton School

Ground broken for Clinton Library on December 5, 2001

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