Celebrating 30 Years!
Walton Arts Center Then and Now
Walton Arts Center’s first season saw 55 performances of 42 shows, and the Broadway shows at that time were partial-week engagements.
In our 30th season, we will host 123 performances of 60 shows. We have 56 performances of Broadway alone this season – and they are all week-long or two-week engagements. Ticket sales for the current 2021-22 season are 77,000 and counting.
Present, Produce, Partner
Walton Arts Center has presented approximately 1,275 shows over the past 30 years. On average, that’s 42 different shows each season, and like our Broadway shows, many had multiple performances.
We have created and produced shows and performances specifically for our Northwest Arkansas community and audiences across the state, including Artosphere: Arkansas’ Arts+Nature Festival, Artosphere Festival Orchestra, VoiceJam, Fourth of July Celebrations with SoNA, Digging Up Arkansas, Bear State of Mind, visual arts exhibitions and more.
We have also partnered with producers to tech and launch 13 touring shows from Walton Arts Center over the years.
Expanded Footprint
With the addition of the Arkansas Music Pavilion in 2011, Walton Arts Center’s impact expanded throughout the region.
The profits from the Walmart AMP go to support arts education and mission programming at Walton Arts Center.
The first season Walton Arts Center managed the Walmart AMP, there were 13 shows. The 2021 season had 28 shows, and the 2022 season is on track to break any previous records with more than 35 shows announced
Since the acquisition, the venue has hosted 166 concerts at the Walmart AMP with more than 1.6 million tickets sold.
Giving Back is in Our DNA
Walton Arts Center has invested in six local arts organizations over the years to help develop the arts landscape of NWA: Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA), Community Creative Center (CCC), NWA Jazz Society, Opera Fayetteville, Trike Theater and TheaterSquared.
Our Colgate Classsroom Series has allowed more than 900,000 students and teachers to see shows at free or reduced costs. Participation in the program became free in 2020.
We have trained 296 teachers in arts integration through the smART Residency Program, which has directly impacted 7,420 students and provided professional development and additional training opportunities to 17,497 teachers, which has impacted 437,425 students.
24,260 free tickets have been given to members of the community in need through our Take a Seat Program.
Walton Arts Center has also hosted more than 700 school and community masterclasses, where artists teach those interested in the performing arts, many times for free.
In total, Walton Arts Center has proudly raised more than $24 million for arts education and outreach in NWA through the support of more than 8,500 families, and 430 corporations and foundations.
We Remain Small but Mighty
- 97 full time employees
- 34 part time employees
- 518 seasonal, day of show employees
- 213 volunteers
With a Singular Focus
We envision a future in which Walton Arts Center and Walmart AMP, nationally renowned for their innovative, inclusive approach to providing first-class arts experiences, are at the heart of Northwest Arkansas’ cultural and entertainment scene – a region in which access to great art is fundamental to the identity of our vibrant community.