Our History
Inspired by a 2012 visit to Spoleto Arts Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, ACANSA's Founder, Charlotte Gadberry approached the Mayors of Little Rock, North Little Rock and leaders of our arts communities about collaborating to make ACANSA Arts Festival a reality for Central Arkansas and they enthusiastically agreed. A grass-roots movement ensued with hundreds of volunteers working together in numerous roles to bring this annual festival to Arkansas. The inaugural festival took place September 23-28, 2014. ACANSA continues to develop year after year and is working to establish Arkansas as the next great arts and culture destination in the U.S.
Our History
Inspired by a 2012 visit to Spoleto Arts Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, ACANSA's Founder, Charlotte Gadberry approached the Mayors of Little Rock, North Little Rock and leaders of our arts communities about collaborating to make ACANSA Arts Festival a reality for Central Arkansas and they enthusiastically agreed. A grass-roots movement ensued with hundreds of volunteers working together in numerous roles to bring this annual festival to Arkansas. The inaugural festival took place September 23-28, 2014. ACANSA continues to develop year after year and is working to establish Arkansas as the next great arts and culture destination in the U.S.
Leadership
DILLON HUPP / Executive Director Dillon Hupp is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, where he graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 2008. He attended Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, where he graduated with a degree in American Studies and a focus in Race and Ethnicity in 2012. Following his graduation from Middlebury, he worked as a sportswriter in Vermont before moving back to Little Rock in 2013 to accept a position with the Democratic Party of Arkansas. A lifelong lover of the arts in Central Arkansas, Dillon was hired as Executive Director of ACANSA in Apil 2017. From 2013-2017, Dillon served as the assistant to the Chair, Finance Director, and Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Arkansas. During his tenure he oversaw some of the greatest fundraising success in Party history, including Jefferson-Jackson Dinners with Secretary Hillary Clinton in 2015 and President Bill Clinton in 2016. He also helped coordinate and execute a successful Arkansas delegation experience at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. In his spare time, Dillon serves as the Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Pulaski County and the Commissioner of Little Rock RBI baseball, a program aimed at providing baseball instruction in a fun and safe environment for players who might not otherwise have an opportunity to play. Dillon lives in downtown Little Rock and enjoys watching sports, playing guitar, and struggling to maintain dominance over his three cats.
