Dallas Arboretum Presents Second Annual Black Heritage Celebration on May 14 and 15

The Dallas Arboretum announces the second annual Black Heritage Celebration (BHC), presented by Bank of America, taking place on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15. The weekend will place the spotlight on the unique talents, art and businesses from the local black community. This event is open to the public and is included in the general admission to the Dallas Arboretum.

 

The BHC will feature an array of exciting highlights for the entire family to enjoy. A highly anticipated “Art of Fashion” show will showcase the works of local black designers including Donna Rose, Aundrea Love and Pink Lucy, among others. Guests will also be entertained by lively performances from the award-winning Dallas Black Dance Theatre and the Bishop Arts Theater Center as well as by musical selections from Don Diego Band and Clover the Violinist. Additionally, both days will feature cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs, a vendor exhibit with more than 40 Black-owned businesses and the opportunity to explore the Dallas Arboretum’s many gardens and exhibits.

 

New this year, is an art exhibit coordinated by the South Dallas Cultural Center that will feature a curated collection of art from local African American galleries showcasing their artwork in the DeGolyer House. Artists include Emmanuel Gillespie of Pencil on Paper Gallery, Barbara and James Mason of Msanii House Gallery, Natasha Johnson of South Dallas Cultural Center and Sharidyn Barnes, Jennifer Monet Cowley and Kumiko Johnson of Daisha Board Gallery.

 

Tickets to attend the event are included in the admission to the garden and must be pre-purchased online at https://www.dallasarboretum.org/

 

The Black Heritage Celebration planning host committee consists of Linda Todd (chairperson), Marissa Horne, Tiffaney Hunter, Janet Jack, Katrina Keyes, Willow Sanchez, Celia Walker, Maurice West and Z.L. Williams.

 

This year’s honorary council includes LaJuana Barton; Trudy Bourgeois; Dr. Chandra Brown; Neisha Strambler Butler; Richie Butler; Bryan Carter; Stephanie Carter; Mahisha Dellinger; Sharron Evans-Jackson; Dr. Arlene J. Ford, Ph.D; LaChon Jacobs; Dean Jones; The Honorable Racquel Jones; April Leonard; Wilton Munnings; Tom and Venita Owens; Christopher P. Reynolds; The Honorable Toni Rose; Rodriqua Ross; James and Deidre Summers; Kimberly Bizor Tolbert.

Inaugural Dallas Arts Week Announced

To celebrate Dallas artists and the city as a prominent cultural destination, Mayor Mike Rawlings and the Dallas Cultural Affairs Commission are proud to announce the first Dallas Arts Week, April 7‐14. During Dallas Arts Week, residents and visitors alike can participate in this community‐wide celebration that embraces, educates and raises awareness of Dallas as an art nexus.

The first year will launch with a social media photo contest using the hasthag #DallasArtsWeek and Mayor Rawlings moderating a free panel discussion at the new City Performance Hall on April 10 called Dallas Arts: A Creative Conversation.

“Dallas Arts Week is a great opportunity to show the variety and quality of literary, visual and performing artist in Dallas,” said Mayor Rawlings. “This week‐long celebration will become a signature event in our city, and we look forward to showcasing our city’s passion and commitment to supporting and advancing the arts.”

Dallasites are encouraged to share their experiences with art around the city online. Participants can enter the contest and win prizes by sharing their photos using the #DallasArtsWeek hashtag on Twitter and Instagram, or by visiting the photo contest tab on the Dallas Arts Week Facebook page. Prizes include memberships and tickets to exhibits and performances throughout Dallas.

On April 10, Mayor Rawlings will moderate a panel called Dallas Arts: A Creative Conversation, sponsored by the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau. The event will take place at the Dallas City Performance Hall and will focus on the state of the arts. Individuals and organizations citywide are urged to attend and participate in the discussion.

Dallas Arts Week will coincide with the Dallas Art Fair, Dallas Art Ball, Dallas Jazz Appreciation Month

(D’JAM) celebration, ARTsPARK, the dedication of new public art works at Love Field Airport, the official historical marker of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas International Film Festival, Target Second Saturday at the Latino Cultural Center, Dance Planet 17, the League of Historic American Theatres Conference, the Visit Dallas' BIG campaign and many more performances and exhibitions around the city. KERA’s Art & Seek calendar has a full calendar of events where organizations can submit for the public to discover and enjoy.

For more information on Dallas Arts Week and the social media photo contest, please visit www.facebook.com/DallasArtsWeek.

TACA Gives Out Record $1.3M in Grants to North Texas PAOs in 2013

Ken Travis, past TACA board chairman and TravisWolff chairman of the board; Andy Teller, 2012 TACA board chairman and RBC Wealth Management; Becky Young, executive director and president of TACA; Nancy Carlson, 2013 TACA board chairwoman; Christopher Vo, special guest speaker, dancer, graduate of Booker T. Washington School for the Performing Arts and Juilliard School; Norm Bagwell, Bank of Texas chairman and CEO and presenting sponsor of the TACA Grant Awards.

Dallas' premier umbrella arts organization TACA, The Arts Community Alliance, had a banner year fundraising in 2012, allowing the organization to distribute $1.3 million to diverse and deserving North Texas performing arts organizations. Of that amount, $1.2 million was distributed on January 28 at the TACA Grant Awards Presentation, presented by Bank of Texas, at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre. Hosting the event was the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The additional $100,000 will be distributed later this year in June as part of the TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund.

"Bravo to all those who supported TACA, who attended one of our events, who support the performing arts by attending a play, a performance, a musical and more," said Nancy Carlson, Chair of TACA's Board of Directors.

In 2013, TACA's grants awarded will help support more than 5,073 performances that approximately 1.4 million people will attend. Ranging from $5,000 to $110,000, TACA grants are being awarded to a varied group of North Texas' performing arts organizations, from the very large and established to the newly emerging.

New organizations being funded this year are AT&T Performing Arts Center, Bruce Wood Dance Project, Lone Star Circus Arts Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, New Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving, and Plano Symphony Orchestra.

2013 TACA Grant Award Recipients:

$5,000

New Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving

One Thirty Productions Matinee Series

$7,500

Plano Symphony Orchestra

Sammons Center for the Arts

$8,000

Irving Chorale

Lone Star Wind Orchestra

Teatro Dallas

$10,000

AT&T Performing Arts Center

Dallas Bach Society

Dallas Museum of Art

Lone Star Circus Arts Center

Meadows School of the Arts, SMU
Nasher Sculpture Center

Uptown Players

Voices of Change

$12,000

Cara Mia Theatre Company

Chamber Music International

Echo Theatre

Orchestra of New Spain

Turtle Creek Chorale

$15,000

African American Repertory Theater

$17,500

Bruce Wood Dance Project

Second Thought Theatre

$20,500

Orpheus Chamber Singers

$25,000

Fine Arts Chamber Players

$27,500

Undermain Theatre

$32,000

Children's Chorus of Greater Dallas

$34,000

Junior Players

$35,000

Dallas Wind Symphony

Shakespeare Dallas

Theatre Three, Inc.

$40,000

Kitchen Dog Theater

Lyric Stage

TITAS

WaterTower Theatre

$42,000

Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra

$60,000

Texas Ballet Theater

$70,000

Dallas Black Dance Theatre

$75,000

Dallas Children's Theater

$100,000

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Theater Center

$110,000

Dallas Opera

A special thanks to the sponsors and supporters, especially ALON USA, Communities Foundation of Texas, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Diane and Harold Brierley, Nancy and Clint Carlson, Ann and Lee Hobson, Lexus, RBC Wealth Management, RBMM, Peggy and Carl Sewell, Sewell Automotive Companies.

Art in October

With Halloween quickly approaching, the Dallas Arts District has some wonderfully-themed events for everyone with Art in October, which celebrates the Arts District as they launch their new season of exhibits, events, performances and programs.

Visit the Dallas Museum of Arts (DMA) amazing exhibits. View Jose Guadalupe Posada: The Birth of Mexican Modernism or Art and Life in Africa: Masks Give the Spirits Life, followed later in the month by the Dallas Black Dance Theatre and the DMA's Le Afrique Masquerade: The Beauty and Complexities of Africa, Connecting East to West.

Just when you think WOW, the Dallas Opera will open their season on October 22nd with Don Giovanni.

To conclude the month-long affair, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will put on their ever-popular Spook-Tacular along with many other festivities.

Bring the whole family for many activities at the DMA to honor the Mexican bicentennial exhibition 200, Day of the Dead and the African Masks exhibition.

There are so many events in the Arts District throughout the month and they are all worth attending to show your support for the arts, not to mention having a great and ghoulish time!

WHAT: Art in October

WHEN: The whole month of October. CLICK HERE for a list of spotlight days. Closing Celebration October 31st.

WHERE: The Dallas Arts District

CONTACT INFORMATION: artsinfo@downtowndallas.org