Crafting Art History in the Ozarks was a two-day symposium, co-organized by Dr. Mary McNeil, Dr. Julia Silverman, and Community Activator Cory Perry, that took place at the University of Arkansas in January 2024. 
 

Participants: Shawna Cain, Raven Cook, Simone Cottrell, Abby Hollis, Caite Mae Ramos, Alan "Toxic" Rodriguez, Rachel Reynolds, Clio Rom, Haley Smith, Olivia Trimble, Aaron Turner, Alice Wilder, Lauren Willette, and Täs Zinck.
 

In the last decade, Northwest Arkansas has emerged as an increasingly important hub for art and culture. New art institutions and non-profits have been critical in bringing artists and artworks to the area, creating dynamic cross-regional exchanges between Northwest Arkansas and other US cities. However, these major institutions have also controlled narratives about art in the region, often prioritizing artists from elsewhere and overlooking the rich regional history of craft that exists--and has always existed--in the Ozarks.

This symposium brings together artists working in and around the Ozarks today to explore histories and futures of arts and craft production in the region. What questions and themes drive their work? How do artists from diasporic and displaced communities adapt their practices to these changing conditions? How do artists create histories of place, and how has the changing landscape of Northwest Arkansas affected their practice?