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Arts & The Parks
April 25 - April 26
Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance hosts the annual Arts & The Park 2026 sponsored by Oaklawn, a 10-Day Celebration of the Arts with live performances, captivating art exhibits, interactive play, workshops, art labs, poetry reading, gallery walk, and studio tours across downtown Hot Springs and partner venues April 24 through May 3, 2026.
The 2026 event theme is “We the Arts”, a play on words from the preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America, showcasing how art unifies us through everyone’s varied experiences and culture, reflecting the melting pot nature of America.
Now in its second decade, founded in 2014, Arts & The Park is designed to make the arts easy to access for locals and visitors alike, offering a unique opportunity to experience, learn, and immerse oneself in the local cultural scene. Most events are free and family-friendly throughout the 10-day festival.
Arts & the Park programming:
Friday, April 24th – The festival kicks off with an Art Talks reception at Oaklawn Park, sponsored by Garvan Gardens, featuring special guest Patrick Shearn, the Gardens’ newest exhibiting artist, who will speak about the unique features of his large kinetic artworks.
Additionally, on the 24th, HSACA’s Art Moves Outdoor Art Exhibition will unveil the selected art installation along the Hot Springs Creek Greenway Trail, beginning Friday, April 25th. The theme of We the Arts was the basis of the recent competition, with selected images of original art represented along the trail for a year. Each panel is accompanied by a QR code with links to an artist statement about the work
The festival’s signature weekend event, Art Springs, returns to Hill Wheatley Plaza for two days, Saturday, April 25th, 10am – 6pm, and Sunday, April 26th, 10am – 4pm, with outdoor arts, community involvement, and creative experiences, including:
● Artists and fine crafts market
● Live music and entertainment
● Food trucks and beverage station
● Chalk Walk (Saturday morning)
● Under Pressure steamroller print event (Sunday afternoon)
● Family-friendly interactive art activities in partnership with Crystal Bridges and Garvan Woodland Gardens
● Artists and fine crafts market
● Live music and entertainment
● Food trucks and beverage station
● Chalk Walk (Saturday morning)
● Under Pressure steamroller print event (Sunday afternoon)
● Family-friendly interactive art activities in partnership with Crystal Bridges and Garvan Woodland Gardens
Arts & The Park continues throughout the week with pop-up learning and performances, including:
● Art Flavor is a passport of culinary experiences hosted across the city with partnering restaurants and venues, Monday, April 27
● Design workshops hosted by Statements for the Home, Tuesday, April 28
● Wednesday Night Poetry readings, hosted at Kollective Coffee & Tea, Wednesday, April 29
● IBLA International Musicians concert, hosted at Grand Ave United Methodist Church, Thursday, April 30
● Art Flavor is a passport of culinary experiences hosted across the city with partnering restaurants and venues, Monday, April 27
● Design workshops hosted by Statements for the Home, Tuesday, April 28
● Wednesday Night Poetry readings, hosted at Kollective Coffee & Tea, Wednesday, April 29
● IBLA International Musicians concert, hosted at Grand Ave United Methodist Church, Thursday, April 30
Arts & The Park finale is a two day engaging art experience with local artists:
● Gallery Walk, hosted across downtown locations, Friday, May 1
● Studio Tours, a free self-guided public tour inside working artist studios, Saturday–Sunday, May 2–3.
● Gallery Walk, hosted across downtown locations, Friday, May 1
● Studio Tours, a free self-guided public tour inside working artist studios, Saturday–Sunday, May 2–3.
Additional community involvement, experiences and activities will be announced with additional dates and details.
How To Get Involved as an artist, local business or organization:
To learn more on how to be involved and partner with programming, visit hotspringsarts.org, or email hsaca@hotspringsarts.org.
To learn more on how to be involved and partner with programming, visit hotspringsarts.org, or email hsaca@hotspringsarts.org.
The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance (HSACA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating, advocating for, and promoting arts and culture in the Hot Springs area. HSACA produces the annual Arts & The Park, and additional engagement opportunities throughout the year.