A veteran newspaper and corporate communications executive has been named executive director of Southwest Arkansas Arts Council.
George S. Smith, a resident of the Sutton community in Nevada County, will assume his responsibilities Aug. 7, according to Kim Hollis, council president.
"I am impressed with the history and traditions of the Arts Council. Most of all, the efforts of the executive committee, board and volunteers are indicative of an impressive support for a strong, vital program of work," Smith said. "It is so very rewarding to know that the council has a corps of volunteers to help set the agenda and assist in carrying out programs."
Hollis said Smith will help advance the council's work to enrich Southwest Arkansas through development of the arts.
Smith is a Hope, Ark., native and resident of the Sutton community in Nevada County. Early in his career, he was managing editor of the Hope Star. He has a master's degree in business and is an adjunct instructor at University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana.
He was a co-founder and creative director of the Micheleson Museum of Art in Marshall, Texas.
He also coordinated areawide art projects, including ones at Marshall's, Texas' Wonderland of Lights and Fire Ant Festivals, both of which he co-founded and chaired. He has also founded small theater groups, including the Best Little Theater by a Dam Site in Mountain Home, Ark., and the Back Porch Players in Stuttgart, Ark.
Smith said his work as chairman with the Wings Over the Prairie Arts Festival in Stuttgart, "made me realize that Hope is the ideal place for a full-blown arts festival, combining visual arts-painting in various media, photography, country arts and crafts and graphic arts-with poetry and short stories."
Forming a small theater group is one of the council's goal, Smith said.
"Stage productions are a great way to get people involved in the arts, and give more people an opportunity to get involved in the work of the council."
But promoting theater is not Smith's sole mission.
"In the arts, like in life, we are only limited by our imagination. Working with the council members, I'd like to see what we can imagine and what we can create together."