Springfield Regional Arts Council

09/03/2026

Lyal Strickland will be playing for our "Bad Art By Good People" and "Ozarks Icons" Exhibition Openings for September First Friday Art Walk! Lyal is gracing us with his talents the day before heading to the High-Lonesome Music Festival in Ava, Missouri. If you can't catch the festival, come on by the Creamery Arts Center to see him. FREE to enter, along with snacks, drinks, and lots of amazing art to look at!

09/02/2026

We can’t keep a secret, and neither should you. We’re very excited to announce that our $100 And Under Holiday Market will be at the Expo Center this year! Still downtown on a First Friday, still 50+ artists offering amazing holiday gifts all for under $100!

Applications for artists are open until September 23, link is here: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=14789

08/28/2026

Meet Ally. You may recognize her from her signature laughing wheeze in the background of our blooper reels.
Officially, she's our Communications Coordinator but in reality, she's our resident trend forecaster, visual storyteller and creative problem solver. A photographer for more than a decade, Ally has always had an eye for finding beauty in the ordinary but she also possesses an uncanny ability to just make things REALLY good. As a Virgo with a Leo rising she sweats the details, has impeccable creative instincts and somehow manages to even make a 30-second reel feel thoughtful.
Whether she's photographing a wedding, designing a campaign, or convincing the rest of us to trust a trend we haven't heard of yet, Ally reminds us that creativity isn't about chasing what's popular - it's about helping people see the world a little differently.

08/26/2026

School season is in full swing, which means fall is coming! We’ve got some really wonderful community art events coming up this semester for you to add to your calendar. More information on each event will be shared as we get closer. For now, mark your calendars and buy your Cider Days tickets! It’s going to be an artsy Autumn in Springfield!

08/26/2026

Art Drop-Off for "Ozarks Icons" show is TOMORROW and FRIDAY at The Creamery Arts Center from 9-5! Bring your work inspired by iconic people, places, and things in the Ozarks. See your work in a gallery for First Friday Art Walk!! Tell your artist friends, we're so excited about this show!

CALL FOR ART for our September show!

“Ozarks Icons” invites artists to delve into the heart and soul of the Ozarks through your art! From the historic stretches of Route 66 to the culinary masterpiece of Cashew Chicken, from the mysterious origins of our not – so – native cobras to the iconic Bob Barker Boulevard, we want to celebrate the people, places, and ideas of this region we proudly call home.

“Ozarks Icons” is open to all artists, regardless of SRAC membership status. Artists can submit up to three pieces of art to be delivered on August 27 or 28 between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm to The Creamery Arts Center. The opening reception for “Ozarks Icons” will be on September 4 during First Friday Art Walk at The Creamery Arts Center, from 5-7 pm. Made possible by the McQueary Family.

08/25/2026

The upside of being robbed is that you get to go to Michaels again this week... Happy first week of school to all our educators! If you didn't know, SRAC has a teaching program called Growing Up In The Arts. It is an award-winning Arts Education program, stemming
from the belief that every child deserves access to the arts. This initiative brings high-quality, immersive arts experiences directly to kids in after-school programs, community organizations, and virtually across 27 surrounding communities, ensuring that
all children—regardless of background—can create, express, and grow through the arts. We'll be posting some of the projects that our teachers do with our kids, so follow along for art teacher inspo!

08/19/2026

HUGE NEWS!

08/18/2026

Teaching artist session with Mari Moore-Moseby (Mudbug Creations) and Parker Reid! "Bad Art By Good People" pairs community leaders with artist mentors and teachers, and it's so lovely to watch the relationships that form during the creation process of the show.

Art can be intimidating, but it shouldn't be. It's for EVERYONE. "Bad Art By Good People" brings in people from our community who don't consider themselves to be artists, and proves that art is for everyone if we all engage in creative community and encourage each other.

The opening reception for "Bad Art By Good People" and the partner show, "Ozarks Icons" will be during First Friday Art Walk on September 4 at The Creamery Arts Center, from 5-7 pm. Made possible by the McQueary family.

08/14/2026

Say hello to Leslie Forrester, the Executive Director of Springfield Regional Arts Council (that’s Dr. Big Dawg Forrester to you)

Leslie is a fierce advocate for the arts, championing access to the arts for all. She oversees every aspect of running the non-profit organization. Leslie serves on multiple community committees, is the Board President for Missouri Citizens for the Arts, and serves as the Arts Everywhere Coordinator for the Missouri Association for Community Arts Agencies. She does everything she can to be an advocate, listening ear, and facilitator of the arts in our region. Leslie holds a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration from Southern Utah University and a BFA in Arts Management from Culver-Stockton College. While a Missouri transplant, Leslie has built a rich life here with her family and is absolutely obsessed with the Springfield area. Our community is truly lucky to have her leading the charge for the arts.

With a lifelong passion for creativity, she’s explored everything from instrumental music and theater to visual art and graphic design—proving that for Leslie, the arts aren’t just a job, they’re a way of life.