The Creative Economy - Thrive Center

Helena and the Delta region is rich with musicians, visual artists, craftspeople and cultural experiences. We view these resources as an essential catalyst to increased economic vitality in the area. Our Creative Economy program works to coalesce these resource into an organized strategy to boost tourism and economic opportunity.

Outcomes

Project Director, Will Staley, screen printing tshirts for an upcoming Helena Second Saturdays

November was a gusty one for the books but the addition of the farmer's market and a chili cook-off made up for it!

Teach for America teacher Ruth Linford leads the "Kids Art Zone"

Local blues and gospel musicians shared the street

Doug Friedlander, Chamber Director and street captain coordinator, performing the ever-necessary end-of-day evaluation

The Mississippi Delta is the birthplace of the blues. In the heart of the Delta, Helena, Arkansas, hosts the famous King Biscuit Blues Festival. This successful festival pumps three million tourist dollars into the local economy on one weekend of each year, filling the historic Cherry Street District with musicians, artists, vendors, and fans.

In an effort to translate blues festival weekend into a year-round venue for artists and a continuous revenue stream for retailers, local leaders are revitalizing the five blocks into an arts and entertainment district, generating increased tourism and community engagement.

Helena Second Saturdays

In 2011 Thrive and its partners launched Helena Second Saturdays (HSS) to enthusiastic community response. HSS brings local artisans and merchants together to provide a monthly, dynamic event in the Cherry Street Arts District. On every second Saturday from April through November, Delta-inspired artists and musicians line Cherry Street, producing a festival atmosphere, infusing the area with the arts, and stimulating the creative economy.

In calendar year 2012, the King Biscuit Blues Festival “Live on the Levee” spring series of concerts, made possible by a grant through the Southern Bancorps Delta Bridge Project, will coincide directly with the 2012 Helena Second Saturday Schedule.

Helena Second Saturdays is made possible through a partnership between Thrive Inc., the H-WH Advertising and Promotions Commission, The Delta Cultural Center, The Phillips County Chamber of Commerce, and The Arkansas Delta Arts Partnership.

2011 Season Statistics
-150% increased revenue generated as a result of six/three-hour event
- 30 merchant participants
- 250 attendees per event

Contact

We need sponsors, artists, musicians and volunteers. We need your assistance! For more information please contact us.

Email: SecondSaturdays@thrivecenter.org
Phone: 870-338-330
Office: 310 Cherry Street, Helena, Arkansas