Welcome to our Civic Arkansas 2026 Civic Commitments Guide! This guide features fun and engaging activities you can participate in throughout the year, inspired by national months and special days. We hope to help more Arkansans feel connected and confident as active participants in our communities.
We would love for you to dedicate yourself to at least one activity each month and share your participation with us. You can share your involvement on our Civic Arkansas page or post on social media using #CivicArkansas.
If you would like to download or print a 12-month version of our 2026 Guide, please click here. This simple design is easy to share with friends, display at home, or use at work.
If you would like us to send you reminders about new Commitments each month, fill out the brief form below. We’ll send everything you can expect for the month ahead in a single email!
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January 2026
January 5: National Day of Dialogue
Another election season has come and gone, so if you are interested in pursuing civil dialogue for yourself or your community, here are three great resources to consider:
Arkansas School Board Recognition Month
- Appreciation & Support for School Board Members
- Write a letter of appreciation to support your local school board members by acknowledging their hard work and dedication to improving education in your community.
- Attend a Local School Board Meeting
- Invite a friend and attend a local school board meeting to engage and learn more about educational issues in your community.
February 2026
Civic Spaces
Consider the civic spaces in your community. Are there spaces for all age groups? Are the civic spaces accessible and in safe areas? If not, consider ways you could help your community develop civic spaces.
- Grab a meal or a cup of coffee at a local establishment. These are often used as meeting spaces for business, colleagues, club gatherings, students, and friends.
- Attend a local sports event for your local high school, college, or state team. Observe who you see, what you overhear people talking about, where the crowds are gravitating to, etc.
- Go for a walk in a local park or along a commercial street. Walking is a great way to notice things you wouldn’t usually see from a car, allowing you to slow down and take in more about the people using the park or business district, as well as the amenities and services offered by the area.
- Ride your local public transit and raise awareness about people and activities that are often overlooked by those who primarily rely on cars for transportation. You can take the time to observe and strike up conversations with people you wouldn’t otherwise have met or had the opportunity to converse with.
- Socially Connected Communities: Solutions for Social Isolation
- Explore the Healthy Places Socially Connected Communities: Solutions for Social Isolation report and action guide, which focuses on creating socially connected communities through public spaces, transportation, and housing.
- Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism
- Visit the Department’s website to learn more about Arkansas heritage and tourism. After, invite a friend to visit a local museum, park, or historic site.
- For example, visit a historically significant site to African American culture in honor of Black History Month.
- Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock
- Nile & Marzell Smith Museum of African American History in El Dorado
- Complete the Civil Rights Trail locations in Arkansas or download the audio tour experience.
Share your stories with us!
We would love for you to dedicate yourself to one activity each month and share your participation with us. These files may be shared in Institute publications or on our social media channels.
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