Five programs run by the city of Dallas’ Office of Arts and Culture will receive about $248,000 in funding, which is being redistributed from Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
In December of last year, the Dallas City Council voted to cut and redistribute about $248,000 in funding from the dance company after it reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board, which found merit to dozens of unfair labor practice charges made against the company.
Glenn Ayars, assistant director of programming and engagement at the OAC, said staff and the allocations committee have worked together to recommend where to move the funding.
Ayers said the OAC wanted to widely disperse funding and consider staff capacity.
“We looked at what is kind of currently going on that we could help boost even bigger. So we're not necessarily creating something new all the time but rather continuing to invest in things that we have found success in or something that has a process in it,” he said.
In an April meeting, the allocations committee approved the redistribution of funds to the ArtsActivate program and is expected to approve the redistribution of funds to other recommended projects in the coming months.
Five programs can expect to receive supplemental funding for the rest of the 2024-25 fiscal year, which ends in September:
Joint Cultural Center Project: $37,900
Led by Joel Salazar with Too Fresh Productions, the city will offer a free series of seven urban dance workshops that will culminate in a final show. The series will take place at the South Dallas, Bath House, Latino and Oak Cliff cultural centers and the Singing Hills Recreation Center.
“The urban dance workshop series was a project that one of our cultural center managers really wanted to see happen. And because of its broad reach across all cultural centers, that seems like a very great use of these funds,” Ayers said.
ArtsActivate Round 3: $90,535
Through the ArtsActivate program, the OAC provides funding for arts and culture projects from individual artists and nonprofit organizations that aim to increase access and inclusivity in the arts.
In the past, organizations like Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, Artstillery, Cara Mía Theatre, Deep Vellum and the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum have received ArtsActivate funding. Arts Access received an ArtsActive grant last year to fund a community event focused on giving creatives information on how to support their artistic practice.
The additional funding could go towards 53 projects across theater, visual arts, dance, film, music, cultural festivals and exhibits that were recommended for round three funding.
Community Artist Program: $20,000
The supplemental $20,000 will help fund the Community Artist Program, which connects culturally specific artists and nonprofit arts groups with Dallas host facilities where they can offer artistic services.
Host facilities like churches, social service agencies and recreation centers can book a music workshop or poetry reading from a roster of artists listed by the city.
Community Arts: $50,000
Funding will be directed towards Dallas’ free Live in the Park series and a community arts summer camp.
The funding will also go towards the second annual Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage and Dragon Boat Festival at the Bath House Cultural Center on May 18. The event will include live performances, hands-on workshops, food and a dragon boat race.
“We found such great success with that last year, that directing some funds to help continue to support and grow that particular program seemed very appropriate in that way,” Ayers said.
Culture of Value: $50,000
The program supports funding for artists or organizations with a one-time arts and culture event at a branch library or recreation center.
The city has aimed to host at least two events in every city council district through the program, totaling over 28 events. The additional funding will allow the OAC to expand the program, offering roughly 14 more events across the city this year.
In response to the funding redistribution, Dallas Black Dance Theatre Board Director Georgia Scaife said in an email the company is currently focused on finishing its season.
“We are proactively communicating with city staff and leadership to take the necessary steps to ensure we are in the best place possible to regain our City funding in the next budget cycle. Future funding from the City is essential for us to continue to serve more than 100,000 residents of Dallas, including 60,000 students, each year from our home in the historic Moorland YMCA,” she wrote.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre has applied for funding through the OAC’s Cultural Organizations Program, according to a spokesperson. Applications are currently under panel review and the OAC will work on funding recommendations through September. The Dallas City Council will approve recommendations in October.
Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.
This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, The University of Texas at Dallas, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA retain full editorial control of Arts Access’ journalism.
