Hale bathhouse in Hot Springs offering musical cafe

If you've driven through downtown Hot Springs lately, you may have noticed that another bathhouse on historic Bathhouse Row is springing to life. People are once again coming in and going from the Hale Bathhouse, the oldest bathhouse on the street, after its doors were closed for more than 40 years. From the lobby of the Hale's 3 Arts Cafe and Bookstore, the newest endeavor of the Muses Creative Artistry Project, you can hear the sounds of music, poetry, and conversation among friends, and feel the creativity that is evident throughout its gracious, comfortable decor. The National Park Service issued a two-year commercial use authorization to the Muses in March 2011 to operate the café and bookstore in the lobby of the historic building.

The Muses Creative Artistry Project has embarked on a comprehensive capital campaign, with the objective of acquiring a 40-year lease on the Hale Bathhouse along Bathhouse Row. The building will be restored in accordance with National Park Service guidelines to establish a cultural arts center housing The Muses Creative Artistry Project, from which it will carry out the majority of its annual programming plan. Once restored, the arts center will benefit multiple cultural and educational organizations, with a regional impact. Educational outreach is focused, among other things, on arts integration and curriculum expansion at the Williams Education Center, a non-profit center dedicated to obtaining college scholarships for minority youth in Garland County; the Odyssey Program at Hendrix College in Conway, AR; and other educational institutions. The Hot Springs Music Festival and Hot Springs Jazz Festival, already collaborators with The Muses Project, will also benefit through access to the Hale Bathhouse. The restoration plan for the Hale includes two performance venues, artists’ living quarters (more than 30 of The Muses’ performing artists and apprentices live out of state), rehearsal spaces for both music and drama, fine arts studio and gallery, classrooms for workshops and community outreach, wellness center, library, coffee shop and bookstore – all of which will be accessible to professional artists as well as students. It is anticipated that the bathhouse will be restored and open for business in late 2013.

The capital campaign has already entered its first phase of the capital campaign by converting the lobby of the Hale into the 3 Arts Café and Bookstore, which opened in June 2011. The café offers delicious salads, sandwiches, and light gourmet appetizers, as well delectable sweets and pastries. New Orleans style gourmet coffees and English teas are available, all brewed with Hot Springs’ thermal spring water. The café offers downtown visitors and residents a unique respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The bookstore displays and sells original works by local artists and craftspeople, highlighting the excellent quality available in the region. Of particular note are the fine ceramic pieces created by Jim and Barbara Larkin and the artisans of Fox Pass Pottery. An intriguing selection of inspirational books on creativity and the arts, ranging from music and poetry to gardening and cooking, are available. Patrons can enjoy their books on wicker furniture in a peaceful sunroom setting. Wi-Fi is also available for customer convenience.

“The Muses’ goal is to become a mecca for art and healing in downtown Hot Springs through arts immersion – nourishing mind, body and spirit,” explains Toni Spears, certified life coach for the Muses. The Muses Creative Artistry Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving classical art and music through performance, education, and wellness. Soprano Deleen Davidson, whose broad-based liberal arts education includes history, fine art, music and German, leads the artistry project as president and principal artist. The Muses offers a regular series of concerts, art exhibits and creativity seminars designed to enhance the cultural life of the region and to grow the arts-based economy.

Upcoming Muses offerings include the fourth annual Opera Gala on September 23, beginning with a wine reception at the Hale Bath House at 6:30 p.m. Following the reception, opera goers will enjoy a lovely stroll through Arlington Lawn to the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa’s Crystal Ballroom for heavy hors d’oeuvres and the performance, involving an ensemble of 20 singers, musicians, actors and artists from across the country that will perform Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” Tickets to this event, just $75 each, include the entire evening's reception, hors d’oeuvres and performance.

On Sunday afternoon, September 18, at 3 p.m., just days before the Opera Gala, eight talented Muses will present “Magic Flute Cocktail," an “appetizer” for the upcoming week’s performance. The concert is the third in the Muses' concert series, “The Four Seasons in Art and Song,” held in Anthony Chapel at Hot Springs' Garvan Woodland Gardens. The seasonal series will conclude with the sixth annual presentation of the "Voices of Angels" sacred Christmas concert on December 18. Tickets for the seasonal concert are $25 each.

For more information about the Muses or to reserve event tickets, contact The Muses at 501-463-4514 or www.themusesproject.org. Tickets for all performances can also be picked up at The Three Arts Café and Bookstore.