The Walton Arts & Ideas Series is made possible through an endowment by the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. All WAIS events are open to the public and there is no cost for admission. Please join us for the 2026-2027 Walton Arts & Ideas Series.
2026 – 2027 Schedule:
SUPAMAN
Native American Rapper and Dancer
Tuesday, September. 15, 2026 @ 7 p.m.
Seay Theatre (Walton Fine Arts Center)
As a member of the “Apsáalooke Nation”, Supaman makes his home on the Crow reservation in Montana. “Supaman” is Christian Takes Gun Parrish, a Native American dancer and innovative hip hop artist who has dedicated his life to empowering and spreading a message of hope, pride and resilience through his original art form. He is a multi-national award winning artist, including the MTV VMA award for “Best Fight Against the System” and numerous Indigenous Music Awards. His videos have received millions of views on YouTube and Facebook which have put him in high demand touring extensively to festivals, colleges, conferences, communities, and schools throughout the U.S.A and internationally. He recently was asked to audition for America’s Got Talent and the Broadway play Hamilton. He is currently working with Taboo from the multi grammy award winning group “Black Eyed Peas”. Supaman’s one-of-a-kind presentation combines Native American culture, comedy and urban hip hop culture which dazzles audiences and captivates listeners. His uncanny ability to motivate, encourage, and inspire through dance, and hip-hop music keeps him at the forefront among his contemporaries which gives him a platform to educate on Indigenous issues.
From Almeda to Zilphia
Arkansas Women Who Transformed American Popular Song
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 @ 7 p.m.
Rogers Conference Center
Author Stephen Koch and illustrator Katherine Strause will discuss their new book, “From Almeda to Zilphia: Arkansas Women Who Transformed American Popular Song.” The book profiles artists who’ve influenced music around the world in ways we’re still discovering. Despite their collective cultural impact, these women’s stories have too often been overlooked, forgotten, or never told. Part history, part art, and part music, the book features a wide cross-section of inspirational creatives across the decades. With surprises like Maya Angelou’s side career as a calypso singer and Carrie Cash, who recognized that her son, Johnny, had “the gift,” From Almeda To Zilphia covers a wide variety of musical styles. Working from often hard-to-find historic photographs, vivid portraits by renowned artist Katherine Strause of the women profiled make plain the strength and artistry of these cultural pioneers. From Almeda To Zilphia is written by musician and award-winning journalist Stephen Koch, writer and host of the syndicated public radio program Arkansongs.
Dani Bowman “DaniMation”
Autism Advocate and Reality TV Star
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 @ 7 p.m.
Rogers Conference Center
Join autism advocate and Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum U.S. cast member Dani Bowman as she discusses her journey working in animation and building her own animation company, DaniMation Entertainment, at the age of 14. This inspiring discussion will dive into the challenges the people with autism face within the animation industry and the importance of understanding and accommodating differences, building self-advocacy skills, and fostering inclusive workplaces for all. Dani is an autistic entrepreneur, animator, educator, and public speaker dedicated to advancing inclusion, creativity, and opportunity for neurodivergent individuals. Diagnosed with autism at age three and nonverbal until six, Dani discovered animation as her first language—sparking a passion that continues to fuel her work today. Dani’s creative work includes 16 original animated short films, along with collaborations across studios, organizations, and educational institutions. Her approach blends artistic training with social-emotional development—supporting students not just as artists, but as growing individuals. Her academic journey reflects the same commitment. Dani holds a bachelor’s degree in animation and an MBA in global strategy and leadership. Whether speaking, animating, teaching, or building new opportunities for others, Dani leads with authenticity, humor, and heart—proving that passion, community, and belief can turn challenges into purpose.
FEBRUARY 2027 – TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
Coach Donnie Campbell
Teacher and Coach, Inspiration for Ted Lasso
Tuesday, March 30, 2027 @ 7 p.m.
Rogers Conference Center
If the word “believe” resonates with you, it means that you are probably a diehard fan of the hit series Ted Lasso, which portrays a football coach from Kansas who is hired to be the head coach of the English Premier Soccer Leagues AFC Richmond. But did you know that there was a real inspiration behind this award-winning show? Coach Donnie Campbell is a retired math teacher and a high school basketball coach from Kansas who was plucked out of obscurity when Jason Sudeikis, the American actor and star of the 5-time Emmy Award winning show, revealed to Stephen Colbert on the late show that Campbell was in part the impetus for the lead character he plays with such wit and wisdom. It was back in the late 1990’s when Jason played basketball at Shawnee Mission West and Donnie was his coach. Little did Campbell know that all of the pearls of wisdom he was dropping on Jason and the team would appear years later and make an indelible impression on millions around the world. Today, Campbell has been busy making appearances on local and national television including ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s The Today Show. In addition to teaching, he is now speaking to organizations and companies about leadership and specifically, how important it is to instill strong values in the people you work with. He credits his leadership skills to his always positive attitude and to his mentors that prepared him for success both in the classroom and as a coach. Campbell graduated from Lyons high school in 1980 and attended Kansas State University on a football scholarship and played basketball his freshman year. For the past 36 years, he has coached and taught math, but more importantly he has been building the confidence and character of the young men and women who have played for him.
Qui Nguyen
Playwright and Filmmaker
Tuesday, April 6, 2027 @ 7 p.m.
Rogers Conference Center
Originally from El Dorado, Arkansas, Qui Nguyen is a playwright, filmmaker, and co-founder of the OBIE Award-winning Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company. Renowned for blending pop culture, stage combat, puppetry, and multimedia into exhilarating theatrical experiences, his work has been hailed as “culturally savvy comedy,” “tour de force theatre,” and “infectious fun” by The New York Times, Time Out, and Variety. His previous film and television credits include Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he wrote Raya and the
Last Dragon and wrote/co-directed Strange World; as well as projects for AMC (Dispatches from Elsewhere), Netflix (The Society), Syfy (Incorporated), PBS (Peg + Cat), and Marvel Studios. He currently has an overall deal with Paramount Skydance. As a playwright, Qui is best known for Vietgone, Poor Yella Rednecks, Revenge Song, and the critically acclaimed Vampire Cowboys productions She Kills Monsters, Soul Samurai, The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G, Alice in Slasherland, Fight Girl Battle World, and Living Dead in Denmark. His plays are published by Concord Theatricals/Samuel French, Playscripts, and Broadway Play Publishing. He’s currently developing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live on Stage! for Paramount Products and Experiences. His honors include the 2024 Kennedy Center Gold Medallion for Artistic Excellence; a 2022 Academy Award nomination for Raya and the Last Dragon; a 2016 Daytime Emmy Award; the 2016 Steinberg New Play Award; the 2015 Helen Merrill Playwriting Award; and the 2014 Sundance Institute/Time Warner Fellowship. Through Vampire Cowboys, Qui helped pioneer the “geek theatre” movement, creating a genre that fused comic books, action films, anime, gaming, and theatrical storytelling. The company remains the first and only professional theatre organization to receive an official sponsorship from New York Comic Con.
