Darrell Walker, head men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, received the Kindred Spirt Award on Sept. 18 for his contributions to the arts in central Arkansas. 

Walter Hussman, publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, presented the award to Walker at the Muses Creative Artistry Project’s gala-style concert and dinner at the Governor’s Mansion.

Walker, who is an enthusiastic collector of art, was selected for the award for inspiring excellence in the arts in central Arkansas. Walker and his wife Lisa collect art by modern and contemporary black artists, and their collection has been featured in exhibitions around the country. Over the summer, the couple donated nine works to UA Little Rock’s permanent collection and loaned additional works to a curated exhibition.

The Muses Creative Artistry Project employs professional artists, musicians, and teachers from within the state and across the country to create diverse performance opportunities and presentations in all genres of highest quality artistic collaboration: instrumental and vocal music, fine art, literature, poetry, drama, and dance. The Muses Project is a member of the Arkansas Arts Council Arts on Tour program. Support for the project is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In addition to the arts, Walker has dedicated his life to Arkansas basketball, playing at the University of Arkansas and now coaching at UA Little Rock. Walker brings with him extensive basketball experience at both the collegiate and professional level. His playing experience includes three years at the University of Arkansas and 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association, followed by a 20-year professional coaching career, including serving as head coach for two different NBA franchises.

Walker earned his degree in human resources from the University of Arkansas. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, enshrined into the University of Arkansas Hall of Honor in 2008, and will be inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame on Oct. 27 at the Robinson Center Performance Hall in Little Rock.