The Locals is a creative placemaking organization that strives to bring people together to make Conway a more creative, unique, and vibrant place to live.
We are dedicated to connecting individuals with local projects, groups, resources, and events to cultivate community engagement and participation. We support and promote local producers, including farmers, artists, techies, and other creatives, enriching our community with the talent we hope to retain and attract to Conway. We are a community outreach and development organization that wants to engage the residents of Conway with the place they live in.
Contact us at [email protected]
HOW
We are dedicated to connecting individuals with local projects, groups, and events that cultivate each person's interests and skills through participation. The Locals supports small local producers, promotes community projects and events, and applies the principles of Creative Placemaking to engage you with the place you live in.
In Creative Placemaking the public, private, and nonprofit sectors partner to strategically shape the physical and social character of a place around the community's uniqueness, the arts and cultural activities.
WHO
We work with anyone who is passionate about what they do and who want to see positive change happen right here, right now. We create change through people who intentionally participate in consuming and producing the things they want to see flourish in the world—this includes community organizers, farmers, artists, musicians, techies, and other local creatives. The Locals is committed to cultivating a strong community that is inclusive and diverse, to read our statement of inclusion please click here.
WHY
People are what make a community and Conway is a place full of potential and talented individuals. We are a community outreach and development organization striving to enrich our community by cultivating local creativity in order to retain and attract talent to Conway.Our goal is to connect community members with the projects, people and resources needed to thrive.
WHERE
We work in public spaces where people can come together to connect, participate and create.
WE BELIEVE
Culture is a vehicle for change and it is through community that we can create culture. As part of this community, you have the potential to make a difference. Your participation is essential to achieve our goals.
Please contact us if you'd like to get involved!
Email: [email protected]
For a Visual Presentation about The Locals click here.
The Locals is a program of La Lucha Space, a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Meet our Board of Directors, click here.
Be sure to check out all of our programs:
The Locals Food Recovery Program: The Locals is partnering with Harps Grocery Store to rescue fresh fruits and veggies headed for the landfill and reroute them to feed hungry bellies! We work with schools and food pantries to donate the fresh produce, and with the Urban Farm Project and Bell Urban Farm to donate the not so fresh produce and turn it into compost. To learn more about this program and sign up to volunteer, read more here
The Locals Food Hub: La Lucha Space was awarded a Local Food Promotion Program grant from the USDA to promote local food and help create the first local food hub in Conway, AR. This hub will serve as an aggregation and distribution center for local farmers. Through pop-up markets and creative delivery systems, La Lucha Space will help connect more individuals and institutions to fresh, healthy, local food. Read more here
Friends of the Garden: Friends of the Garden is dedicated to supporting and promoting the Faulkner County Urban Farm Project, also known as UFP for short. UFP is an educational community garden located behind the Conway public library. The garden's mission is to teach people how to grow food sustainably and help the community connect to local food. Read more here
The Nomadic Geek: this program is made possible by a generous donation from Acxiom Corporation and it is designed to promote tech education, expose more people to the tech community in Conway, encourage them to learn from one another, and inspire creativity through fun projects and events. Read more here
The Farmers Market Promotion Program (2012-2015): La Lucha Space was awarded this grant to cultivate knowledge and support for the local food movement and help open several on-farm retail locations in USDA designated food deserts (places where people have to drive more than 20 minutes to find fresh fruits and vegetables). Read more here
