Join us for the third annual Beloved Community Festival, held in partnership with the Northwest Arkansas MLK Council. This free community event celebrates the ideals of love, unity, and community, featuring an evening of multicultural cuisine, live music, art exhibits, an action-packed Kid’s Zone, and more.

Free, no tickets required.

About the organizer:

NWA Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Council

The mission of the Northwest Arkansas Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Council is to continue to advance and promote the dream, life, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which emphasizes love and action. Our purpose is to promote awareness, education, and advocacy throughout the Northwest Arkansas community. We solicit and encourage all Northwest Arkansas residents and communities to participate and contribute to the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Life and Legacy.

Schedule:  

Lecture and performer schedule coming soon

Entertainment

Her Set Her Sound 

Her Set Her Sound is a live event producer promoting groundbreaking artistry and experiences on and off the dance floor. 

Connecting music lovers, artists, and professionals against all forms of discrimination, especially misogynoir, we serve the caretakers and changemakers who move the culture forward.  

Kid Zone:  

The Kid Zone at the NWA MLK Beloved Community Festival is a joyful, interactive space where children explore how sports, teamwork, and kindness help build a more inclusive and caring world. Through hands-on artmaking, games, and storytelling, kids learn that they are part of the ongoing story of the Beloved Community — one rooted in justice, empathy, and unity. 

Children are learning from the past and becoming builders of the Beloved Community — now and for the future. Through creativity, play, and reflection, they discover that each act of kindness, teamwork, and courage moves the world closer to Dr. King’s dream 

Gallery Talks

Tonight, we gather in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of the Beloved Community, a space where unity, justice, and creativity come alive. These talks invite you to experience art as a catalyst for dialogue and connection. 

Our curators Josie Johnson and Alejo Benedetti, alongside community partners the NWA MLK Dream Keepers and the Phi Alpha Omega chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Debutantes will guide you through selected works that reflect themes of resilience, identity, and shared humanity. This is more than a tour, it is an opportunity to engage, ask questions, and see how art can inspire meaningful conversations about how we can work together to create the Beloved Community. 

Thank you for joining us for this journey of reflection and discovery. Together, we honor the power of art to bring people closer and create spaces where everyone feels seen and valued. 

Times: 6:40 and 7:15

Please meet in the lobby to join the tour 

Community Partners

Conexión de Negocios Latinos- 

• Somos una organización sin fines de lucro que busca promover, educar y apoyar a emprendedores Latinos en Arkansas, con el objetivo de ayudar a que los negocios Latinos prosperen en el estado, conectándolos con recursos, brindándoles información útil y creando oportunidades de networking y desarrollo de liderazgo. 
• We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, educating, and supporting Latino entrepreneurs in Arkansas, with the goal of helping Latino businesses thrive in the state by connecting them with resources, providing valuable information, and creating opportunities for networking and leadership development. 

Ra – Ve Cultural Foundation Inc. 

• EDUCATE. INSPIRE. SUSTAIN 

Diversity is the essence of life. What would we be without our artists? In a world increasingly dependent on a screen, we at Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation seek to bring real world experiences to our little corner of the world here in Northwest Arkansas. 

We are a registered non-profit dedicated to promoting Indian performing arts in NWA. We organize various classes and events at our space, Kalaloka Institute of Fine Arts, and at other venues in collaboration with other organizations. 

We are proud to receive grants from the Walton Family Foundation, CACHE and the Walmart Foundation. 

Salvadoreños Unidos Para Arkansas 

Salvadoreños Unidos para Arkansas is a non-profit organization that aims to support and empower Salvadoran immigrants and their families in Arkansas. The organization provides resources and services such as legal assistance, education, health care, and community events. They also work to create a sense of community and promote cultural awareness and integration. 

Salvadoreños Unidos Para Arkansas is an organization composed of compassionate individuals who diligently serve their community. We are a group of volunteers from El Salvador whose mission is to strengthen and empower our community through education, leadership, cultural initiatives, and, above all, the protection of human rights. We lead by example, fostering connections and working to create a kinder world.

Salvadorenos Unidos Para Arkansas (SUPA) is a nonprofit organization founded in Northwest Arkansas in 2016. We are an inclusive group dedicated to supporting our community by providing essential services that promote personal and professional growth. Our organization is staffed entirely by volunteers committed to assisting others.

Our fundraising efforts include collaborating with local businesses, organizing food catering events, and, most notably, hosting the annual Salvadoran Festival. The funds generated support individuals in need both within our community and abroad, including (but not limited to):

• Funeral expenses
• Legal immigration services
• Hospitalization and treatment costs
• Construction of schools
• Construction of churches
• Other vital initiatives  

We take pride in our ability to aid our brothers and sisters in Arkansas, El Salvador, and Mexico. While we may not be able to change the entire world, we believe we can profoundly impact one person’s life at a time. 

Chinese Association of Northwest Arkansas  

The Chinese Association of Northwestern Arkansas (CANWA) is a 501(c)3 non-religious, non-political, and non-profit community-based charitable organization.  

Our mission is to promote, preserve, and celebrate Chinese culture, heritage, and community among Chinese, Chinese American, and those interested in Chinese culture. It provides a platform for people to connect, network, support each other, enhance the understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture among the broader community, and to support their integration into society, whether they are new immigrants or have been in the states for generations. Through various initiatives, such as Holiday celebration, cultural events, social gatherings, and educational programs, we aim to build bridges between people of Chinese descent and non-Chinese communities, promote cross-cultural understanding and exchange, and contribute to the diversity and richness of the broader community.  

Overall, CANWA is dedicated to preserving and advancing Chinese culture and values, while promoting harmony and inclusivity among all people. 

Latinas En Bici  

Our Mission: To empower Latina women through cycling education, community building, and inclusive outdoor experiences that foster mental wellness, build confidence, and create lasting connections. 

What started as founder Olivia Barraza’s vision to create inclusive cycling opportunities for Latina women has grown into Northwest Arkansas’s most welcoming cycling community. 

Sponsors