After a string of live music venue closures in 2023, one is starting the year off with some good news: Tulips FTW is expanding its offerings with a new spot, called Low Doubt Bar, along with artist studios managed by the artist-run nonprofit Art Tooth.
The new spaces flank either side of Tulips, 112 St. Louis Ave., in the city’s Near Southside neighborhood.
“Over the last three years, we’ve built up a community around the venue. Music is the great thing that brings a lot of different types of people together, and we feel we have a very eclectic roster at Tulips, so basically it’s building on that and giving our community another place to hang during the week,” marketing manager Conor Dardis said.
The self-styled “high-dive bar” is open from 4:20 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day and serves drinks with names like “What’s Always Worked for Me,” a mixture of scotch whiskey and beer, and “Not Made for Defeat,” which is a Miller High Life and shot of tequila. Corndogs and “unleaded” alcohol-free drinks, such as cold brew and sweet tea, are also on the menu.
Patrons are encouraged to dress in their best Western attire for drink specials during the bar’s weekly celebration called “Country Gold.” In addition to playing country music, guests can also expect to see Kung Fu and Spaghetti Western films on two of the bar’s three TVs. The third screen, located above the pool table, is dedicated to the unofficial cartoon of Panther City, “The Pink Panther Show.”
On the other side of the concert venue a converted warehouse space holds 10 artist studios, building on Tulips’ relationship with Art Tooth, its executive director, Shasta Haubrich, said.
The nonprofit has a dedicated wall inside the music venue that features work from a new, emerging artist every month.
“I try to mix in people who haven’t actually had their art necessarily (shown) on walls yet,” she said.
The wallspace is a nice supplement to the pale pink shipping container on South Main Street that also serves as a rotating showcase for local artists.
As Tulips owner Jason Suder was considering options for the old Sportswear Graphics space next door, he approached Haubrich about converting it into a gallery. That option didn’t seem like the right fit, she said, but when he later came back and mentioned studio space, the timing was perfect.
The offer came shortly after Lancaster Lofts changed management, leaving several artists scrambling to find new studio space.
“I’ve actually been working on this since March, trying to get funding,” she said.
Keeping costs low and making the space accessible to artists was a priority for Haubrich, who said that the rent prices are set at-cost for the artists.
The space helps advance Tulips’ goal of growing and supporting the local arts scene.
“We’ve attracted a wide variety of people,” Dardis said. “This is really just extending the work we’ve already done.”
Marcheta Fornoff covers the arts for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marcheta.fornoff@fortworthreport.org.At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.