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Date of Graduation
5-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Architecture
Advisor/Mentor
Colangelo, Jessica
Committee Member
Herman, Greg
Second Committee Member
Irish, Shawn
Abstract
This project examines the history and cultural impact of the downtown arts district in El Dorado, Arkansas through a series of interviews with local community members conducted in February 2025. El Dorado is a city in Southwest Arkansas popularly known as “Arkansas’ first boomtown.” Since the discovery of oil in the area in 1921, El Dorado saw a rapid rise in population from 3,000 residents to nearly 30,000 residents. This rise in population brought in a desire for more entertainment, which led to the development of cultural institutions including the “new” Rialto Theater built in 1929 on top of the “old” theater that originally hosted 400 seats. The theater quickly became a cultural destination in the city, bringing large crowds and requiring an updated building with 1,400 seats, state-of-the-art equipment, mechanical systems, and acoustic systems.
Throughout the 20th century, El Dorado experienced a steady decline in population and started making efforts in 2017 to reinvigorate its cultural district through the formation of the Murphy Arts District, which includes an outdoor performance amphitheater, renovation planned for the Rialto Theater and an old furniture building, and the First Financial Music Hall.
Through video interviews with eight local community members, this project explores two primary questions: “How does art and design influence a community’s sense of belonging?” and “Where is the intersection between art, the built environment, and community storytelling?” More specifically, it seeks to understand how art and design have impacted El Dorado and its residents. The interviews are compiled into a 15-minute documentary that highlights stories of community and change in the El Dorado Arts District and its downtown area. Through these interviews, it became apparent that art and design is more integrated into the culture of El Dorado than the research originally showed, and these art and design aspects or programs create space for multiple communities to coexist.
Keywords
community; belonging; placemaking; El Dorado; arts; documentary
Citation
Harper, M. (2025). Stories from El Dorado: An Exploration of Art, Design, and Community Belonging. Architecture Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/archuht/84