In Little Rock, two Black artists are using their gifts to do more than create. They are building connection, honoring history, and inviting the community to be part of something bigger.
Professional artist Anthony Tidwell will lead a two part mural making experience on April 6 and April 11 as part of Beyond the Divide, a project that highlights the historic Black Business District between Broadway and Ninth streets. The initiative is led by Ernest Banks and centers on using art to reconnect the community to a corridor that once thrived as a hub of Black culture, music, and business.
At the center of the experience is a powerful theme: Jazz and Ninth Street History.
Tidwell, founder of Cutwell 4 Kids, brings both artistic skill and community purpose to the project. A native of Hot Springs, he is known not only as a muralist but also as a leader committed to youth development, prevention, and community empowerment. His work reflects a belief that art can be a tool for growth, self awareness, and collective healing.
The first workshop will take place April 6 at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center. Designed to be beginner friendly, the session invites participants to think big and transform their ideas into large scale artwork. Attendees will learn how to develop a mural concept, plan designs for large walls using simple techniques, and understand how different surfaces impact mural creation.
Participants will also have the opportunity to submit their own mural concepts based on the theme. One design will be selected to come to life.
That vision will move from paper to reality on April 11 during a community mural making day along Ninth Street. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., participants will work together to scale and sketch the chosen design, paint collaboratively, and receive one on one guidance from Tidwell. The mural will be created on a temporary outdoor surface and will serve as a visual reflection of the community’s voice.
The event is free and open to the public, with families encouraged to attend. Children are welcome with an adult. Registration is required for the April 6 session.
Beyond the Divide is a monthlong demonstration project along the Historic West Ninth Street Corridor. Through events like the mural workshops, the project explores how the arts can create vibrancy, strengthen connectivity, and inspire a more unified future for the neighborhood.
The mural series is funded by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency that supports cultural, educational, and economic opportunities in the arts across the state.
Together, Tidwell and Banks are not just organizing an event. They are creating space for stories to be told, history to be honored, and community to be rebuilt one brushstroke at a time.
For information, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/getsmart-beyond-the-divide-with-mural-design-making-tickets-1985090836128