The Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE) in Springdale is getting a new resident.
The Arkansas Arts & Fashion Forum (AAFF), a nonprofit that supports the growth of Arkansas’ fashion industry, is moving its headquarters and operations to the CACHE hub. AAFF will move its sewn goods production and administrative staff to the new space.
Previously, the Arts Center of the Ozarks occupied the CACHE creative hub’s space.
According to CACHE executive director Allyson Esposito, AAFF will be the first anchor tenant at the hub. CACHE has operated the arts space since September 2020, supported by the Tyson Family Foundation. The arts space is designed to expand “equity, inclusion and expression across all artistic disciplines and Northwest Arkansas communities,” according to a Northwest Arkansas Council news release.
“We are thrilled to be moving operations to such an important location” AAFF CEO Robin Atkinson said in a statement. “We envision downtown Springdale as a potential cultural epicenter for the region and will expand our programming and relationships to reflect the diversity of cultural production in the community.”
In the coming months, AAFF will be launching a series of programs, including EMERGE, a designer residency program aimed at connecting local design talents with apparel design and fashion professionals. There will be 11 fashion designers hosted through the program, along with a “Designer in Residence. This program will be held from October 2020 through January 2021 with a presentation scheduled for February 2021 at the CACHE hub’s theater.
In addition, there are drive-in video screenings of previous NWA Fashion Week shows scheduled for Oct. 9, Oct. 16, and Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
READ MORE: Film Industry on the Upswing in Northwest Arkansas
Photo courtesy of Arkansas Arts & Fashion Forum, copyright Josh Koerner.
