Grand Opening Launches Phase I of the Nation’s Largest Outdoor Gallery Dedicated to Delta Music and Culture for the 100th Black History Month
PINE BLUFF, Ark., Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The City of Pine Bluff will celebrate the grand opening of the Delta Rhythm & Bayous—Blues and Wellness Plaza on Friday, February 27, 2026, marking the debut of Phase I in what will become the nation’s largest outdoor gallery dedicated to Delta music and culture.
The grand opening, timed as the capstone to Black History Month, represents a major milestone in Pine Bluff’s cultural heritage preservation and economic development efforts. The Plaza showcases the rich musical traditions of the Arkansas Delta through innovative outdoor exhibits, interactive installations, and public art celebrating the region’s profound contributions to American music.
“Pine Bluff sits at the heart of the Arkansas Delta, where bayou culture and musical traditions have been shared and passed down for generations,” said Mayor Vivian Flowers. “Opening the Delta Rhythm & Bayous Blues and Wellness Plaza is especially meaningful, as Delta music reflects Black history, American history, and a global cultural legacy. The rhythms born here helped shape the soundtrack of modern life, and this Plaza gives Pine Bluff a place to celebrate that heritage while welcoming the nation and the world to experience our story.”
Nation’s Largest Outdoor Gallery Vision
Phase I establishes the foundation for what will expand to become the nation’s largest outdoor gallery dedicated to Delta music and culture. Future phases will add:
- Additional exhibit areas exploring specific musical genres and artists
- Expanded performance venues
- International Delta music connections
- Integration with Pine Bluff’s bayou trail system
- Partnership exhibits with museums and cultural institutions
“The Delta Rhythm & Bayous—Blues and Wellness Plaza is more than an outdoor museum—it’s a living celebration of culture that’s still being created today,” said Jimmy Cunningham, Tourism Development Director, Pine Bluff A&P Commission. “Visitors will eventually experience how the Arkansas Delta’s three longest bayous, its rich soil, and its people created musical traditions that changed the world. This is where geography, history, and culture converge to tell an American story.”
Black History Month Significance
The February 27 opening as the capstone for the 100th Black History Month honors the profound contributions of African American musicians and communities to Delta musical traditions. The Plaza interpretation will explore:
- The origins of the Blues from the social conditions of the south
- African musical traditions preserved and transformed in the Delta
- The Great Migration and spread of Delta music nationally
- Gospel and spiritual traditions rooted in Delta churches
- Blues as artistic expression and social commentary
- Cultural resilience and creativity in the face of oppression
- Contemporary Delta artists continuing the tradition
“The 100th Black History Month is the perfect time to open this Plaza because Delta music is Black history, American history, and world cultural history all intertwined,” said Sheri Storie, Executive Director of Pine Bluff A&P Commission. “The rhythms that started here in the Delta bayous and fields became the foundation for jazz, rock and roll, soul, hip-hop—the soundtrack of modern life. Pine Bluff is proud to preserve and celebrate this legacy.”
Partnership and Support
The Delta Rhythm & Bayous Blues and Wellness Plaza was made possible through partnerships with:
- Delta Rhythm & Bayous Alliance
- Pine Bluff Advertising & Promotion Commission
- City of Pine Bluff
- Economic & Community Development Department
- Parks & Recreation Department
- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Art Department)
- Jefferson County
About Pine Bluff’s Delta Music Heritage
Pine Bluff and the surrounding Arkansas Delta region have played a crucial but often under-recognized role in American musical history. The confluence of the world’s three longest bayous (Bartholomew, Macon, and Meto), rich agricultural land, and diverse cultural traditions created a unique environment where musical innovation flourished.
Delta musical traditions emerged from:
- African musical heritage preserved through generations
- Field hollers and work songs
- Sacred music traditions in Black churches
- Interaction between diverse cultural groups
- The unique acoustics and atmosphere of bayou environments
- Cultural creativity and resilience under oppression
- Migration patterns spreading Delta sound nationally
Pine Bluff artists and musical traditions influenced the development of blues, gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues that became foundational to American popular music.
For more information about the Delta Rhythm & Bayous Blues and Well Plaza, visit ExplorePineBluff.com or contact Jimmy Cunningham, Tourism Development Director at (870) 534-2121 or jmmyjam@gmail.com
For media inquiries, interviews, or high-resolution images, contact: Michael McCray, Public Relations & Cultural Development Specialist at (870) 543-0024 or mmccray@explorepinebluff.com
Contact: Michael McCray, Public Relations & Cultural Development Specialist, Pine Bluff A&P Commission at (870) 543-0024 or mmccray@explorepinebluff.com
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SOURCE Pine Bluff A&P Commission
