- Thea Foundation
The 15th Annual Thea Paves the Way Hosted by Malvern National Bank
The 15th Annual Thea Paves the Way, Thea Foundation’s yearly free community art event, will be held three Saturdays in September and hosted by Malvern National Bank in a distanced event series where school groups, other organizations and families can safely share in a creative community effort featuring vibrant chalk art.
Thea Paves the Way began in 2005 as one of Thea Foundation’s first outreach events to engage students and the community in an exciting collaborative art project. In recent years, the event has drawn hundreds in attendance in one location, but this year the event is reaching outside of Little Rock and allowing for outdoor art to happen in a conscious manner given the current distancing measures needed.
On September 12, 19 and 26, Malvern National Bank will host interested individuals and small groups at varying branches in the central area of the state. The designated branches will differ for each of the three weekends, but every location will offer zoned areas for distanced drawing, coloring and general doodling. A longtime supporter of Thea Foundation, MNB typically contributes to Thea’s main fall fundraiser, Blue Plate Special, serving as the presenting sponsor the previous three years. Since the organization is unable to host events this year, MNB will graciously support Thea’s mission by providing locations for Thea Paves the Way throughout the month of September.
“Thea Paves the Way is such a special event to our organization, and we’re thrilled Malvern National Bank has offered to host our community art effort in a safe manner during this time. We look forward to these special Saturdays in September, and encourage virtual participation as well,” said Thea Foundation Executive Director Nick Leopoulos.
Attendees should review the dates and participating Malvern National Bank branches listed below and register online to take part in any of the three event weekends. Each branch will host participants from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on their designated Saturday. People are encouraged to bring their own chalk, and masks will be required at each location.
Saturday, September 12
Malvern MNB — 501 S. Main St., Malvern, AR.
Sheridan MNB — 207 N Oak St., Sheridan, AR
Hot Springs MNB — 1010 Airport Rd., Hot Springs, AR
Saturday, September 19
Benton MNB — 1111 Military Rd., Benton, AR
Saturday, September 26
Little Rock MNB — 10700 Bass Pro Pkwy., Little Rock, AR
Conway MNB — 1025 Markham St., Conway, AR
For those wanting to participate remotely, Thea Foundation encourages anyone to share their chalk art photos via social media using #TheaPavestheWay. All event dates are weather permitting, but virtual participation can happen any day.
For questions about the 2020 Thea Paves the Way Saturdays in September event series, please contact Amanda Seevers at amanda@theafoundation.org or (501) 545-8171. Additional information can be found at theafoundation.org/thea-paves-the-way.
About Malvern National Bank
Malvern National Bank is a full-service community bank committed to providing top-quality personal and business financial services, delivered by associates who are dedicated to the highest level of personal service. Since its inception, MNB has provided professional banking services to central Arkansas. For years, MNB has utilized state-of-the-art systems that today's lifestyles demand, such as online banking, mobile banking and treasury management tools. MNB serves the communities of Little Rock, Malvern, Bryant, Benton, Conway, East End, Hot Springs and Sheridan in Arkansas. More at mnbbank.com or @MalvernNationalBank.
About Thea Foundation
Thea Foundation’s mission is to advocate the importance of the Arts in the development of our youth. Three programs are implemented statewide to support this mission—Thea Scholarships, Art Closet and Arts Reconstruction. Since 2002, Thea Foundation has awarded more than $2.4 million in scholarships to Arkansas students and provided more than $1.6 million in art supplies and creative materials to underfunded schools through our Art Closet program. In addition, Arts Reconstruction is our focused effort to help teachers receive professional development and supplies to enable a better platform to advance in their own careers and schools. Our collective aim is to enrich young minds through the power of the Arts as research continues to show the many cognitive benefits of arts education. Named for the daughter of Paul and Linda Leopoulos, Thea Foundation carries on the legacy of Thea Kay Leopoulos, who thrived academically, socially and emotionally thanks to her artistic pursuits. More at @TheaFoundation or Thea Foundation Blog.