Living Arts Of Tulsa Moves To Brady District

By Rick Wells, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Living Arts of Tulsa has been a center for contemporary art for 40 years, but always seemed a bit too small for the dreams of emerging artists. That is all about to change.

Living Arts of Tulsa is moving to the Brady District with room enough for really big dreams.

Steve Liggett, the artistic Director of Living Arts of Tulsa, is watching the finishing touches getting put on the new home of Living Arts. It quadruples the size of the old one.

"This is the building we've wanted, I've wanted for 18 years," said Steve Liggett of Living Arts of Tulsa.

The News On 6 took a look around and found Liggett going through dozens of pictures, paintings and posters, attempting to layout a historical retrospective of Living Arts.

The old Dedmon Furniture store was the first home. That was forty years ago in 1969. They've been in a space on South Kenosha for 9 years and this week they'll move into their 10th home on East Brady.

This exhibit will be a first -- they've never had a place with enough space to display the story of Living Arts of Tulsa.

"It's been a catalyst for new thought and stimulating work. That's our mission, to present and develop contemporary art forms," said Liggett.

Need an example? One Liggett loves is a musical score painted on women's chiffon scarves. It was used in a performance. He has a picture of a chamber ensemble playing the chiffon sheet music and that's not all.

"And we have the video. You can actually hear what they played," said Liggett.

That will be in the opening show too. He says there is nothing like Living Arts anywhere else in this part of the country.

"We are doing something real unique here," said Liggett.

And now there is room to do even more.

The big celebration is Friday evening beginning at the old location and proceeding to the new one.

They are calling it a Performance-Participatory-Party and fundraiser.

For more information, visit the Living Arts of Tulsa.