Future home of Stage 18, a new performance venue coiming to 18 E. Center Street in Fayetteville.
Photo: Dustin Bartholomew, Flyer Staff
A new performance venue will open soon just off the Fayetteville square.
Locals David and Lauren Embree, the folks behind local New Year’s Eve celebration Last Night Fayetteville among other projects, are working to renovate the building located at 18 E. Center Street with plans to create a new venue called Stage 18 for music, comedy, theatre, film, and other performances.
Artwork by Jonathan Suit, one of the artists involved in the “Variations // NWA” show coming next month to Stage 18
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“This is a venue built for Fayetteville, a place where our creative community can call home,” Lauren said.
The space will open to the public for the first time from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3 with a visual art show/sneak peek event titled Variations // NWA.
The show, curated by locals Samantha Sigmon and Robert Lemming, will feature a sample of contemporary work by artists living in and around Fayetteville. Artists include Maryam Amirvaghefi, Natalie Brown, Dayton Castleman, Cynthia Post Hunt, Robert Lemming, Ashley Lewis, Elise Raborg, Jonathan Suit, Garland Martin Taylor, Hisae Kimura Yale, and Nicholas Cox.
Also during the event, the Embree’s will announce future plans for their space, along with details for their upcoming Last Night Fayetteville event.
A second event, featuring live music by Washington state bands Karl Blau and LAKE, is planned at the venue on Friday, Nov. 11, and a NWA Fashion Week fundraiser is in the works for Nov. 25.
After that, the venue will produce shows through the Embree’s NWA Creative Arts Network, and local performers will also be able to rent the space to produce their own shows.
Lauren said she is working to apply for a liquor license to be able to offer drinks during shows, and she also plans to offer a small food menu.
If all goes well, Stage 18 will officially be open for business in mid-to-late December.
