Annual event to showcase arts, cultural options in coming year

Kevin McClintock, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Aug. 12—Since its inception in 2016, Connect2Culture's Joplin Arts & Cultural Preview has almost become an entertainment event in itself.

Created to educate area residents about Joplin's growing arts and cultural community, that first gathering had 24 participants attending. Now in its seventh year, Saturday's preview boasts 40 local arts and entertainment organizations.

The arts and culture community will gather at 10 a.m. Saturday inside the Joplin Public Library's Community Room West. The library is located at 1901 E. 20th St.

The event's goal is simple: to educate the public about upcoming events and encourage collaboration between participating organizations.

But more than that, C2C director Emily Frankoski said, it's a chance for these organizations — sometimes managed by one person, or even a part-time person — to "tell their story, to share what they have planned for the" 2022-23 year. Each organization will receive two minutes to update the community. Anyone from the public is welcome to attend.

There are 16 organizations, Frankoski said, that didn't present anything last year but will this year, and some of those organizations will be doing so for the first time ever.

Participating organizations are artCentral Carthage, Bookhouse Cinema, Connect2Culture, Creative Learning Alliance, Downtown Joplin Alliance, First Thursday ArtWalk, Friends of the Joplin Public Library, George Washington Carver National Monument, Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex, Heartland Concert Band, Heartland Opera Theatre, Historic Murphysburg Preservation Inc., JoMoCon Committee, Joplin Area Town and Country Quilters, Joplin Arts District, Joplin Arts Fest, Joplin Celebrations Commission, Joplin Empire Market, Joplin Improv, Joplin Little Theatre, Joplin Public Library, Joplin Regional Artists Coalition, Local Color Art Gallery & Studio, Midwest Regional Ballet, MSSU Choral Society, MSSU Department of Art and Design, MSSU Institute of International Studies, MSSU Department of Performing Arts, Neosho Arts Council, Ozark Festival Orchestra, Post Art Library, Proclamation Youth & Community Choir, Pro Musica, Solace House of the Ozarks, Spiva Center for the Arts, The Joplin Toad, The Non-Permitted Project, Urban Art Gallery, VSM Joplin and WolfRich Entertainment.

"The 2022-2023 season is going to be packed with things to do and experience, and we couldn't be more excited to help facilitate spreading the word by organizing and hosting this event," Frankoski said.

A recording, created by Missouri Southern State University KGCS-TV students, will be made available on Connect2Culture's YouTube channel after the event.