The first Community Cook ‘n’ Swap will be held from 2-4 p.m. June 1 inside the Creative Construction Zone at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., part of the ARTx3 Campus.
The event is free and open to all ages, according to a news release.
Community members are invited to bring their favorite dessert and a copy of the recipe to share. They will leave with copies of their favorite recipes from the event.
Bethany Gere of White Hall, ARTx3’s public programs coordinator, organizes and hosts the event.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“I’ve always loved cooking. It’s something that my mom and grandmother always did together,” Gere said. “I want people of our community to come and share the stories of their recipes that mean something special to them.”
This event is the first in a series of free Cook ‘n’ Swap workshops. Future opportunities to participate are July 6 (one-pot dishes), Aug. 9 (appetizers) and Oct. 11 (soups and salads). Recipes from these workshops will be collected into a cookbook. Proceeds from the cookbook sales will go toward Golden Hour programming, ARTx3’s free monthly events for ages 50 and older.
“Collecting those recipes and stories is how we keep them alive,” Gere said. “It’s so easy to just Google recipes, but for me, the ones that I love are the ones that my family has passed down. We should share those and why they mean so much to us.”
Capacity is limited to 15 people, so registration is requested at artx3.org/all-events/community-cook-n-swap or by calling (870) 536-3375. For more information about this class, contact Gere at bgere@artx3.org.
ARTx3
The ARTx3 Campus is the convergence of art, creativity, and community in Pine Bluff. The campus features three facilities: Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, located at 701 S. Main Street, and The ARTSpace and ART WORKS on Main, located at 623 and 627 S. Main Street. All three facilities present programming in the visual arts, performing arts, and STEAM education through exhibitions, performances, classes, and local partnerships. Gallery admission is free.
Founded in 1968, ASC is accredited with the American Alliance of Museums and features three exhibition galleries, an interactive youth activity space, and the 232-seat Catherine M. Bellamy Theater.
Support is provided in part by the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas Endowment Fund, the city of Pine Bluff, the Pine Bluff Advertising & Promotion Commission and the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Division of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional operating support is provided in part by the Windgate Foundation, Ben J. Altheimer Foundation, Kline Family Foundation, Relyance Bank and Simmons Bank.
Bethany Gere