Dallas is gearing up for a monthlong celebration of its creative community, with dozens of events, performances and exhibitions planned across the city.
Now in its 13th year, Dallas Arts Month has grown from a weeklong effort into a major annual campaign designed to spotlight the city’s art culture. The initiative was originally launched as Dallas Arts Week by former mayor Mike Rawlings to expand access to the arts and encourage participation through free and public programming.
“In general, it's certainly significant to have Dallas Arts Month to amplify the work that the creative sector is doing here," said Martine Elyse Philippe, director of the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture. “To celebrate that vibrant fabric that connects us all.”
For arts leaders across Dallas, the month is not just about celebration, it’s also about access.
“It's an opportunity to celebrate the amazing artists and arts groups that we have in abundance in Dallas,” said Joanna St. Angelo, executive director of the Salmon Center for the Arts. “And it's an opportunity for us to improve our engagement with our constituents and hopefully reach people who have really not had a chance to experience art at the level we would like them to.”
That outreach is reflected in new initiatives this year, including a citywide passport program designed to encourage residents to attend multiple events. Participants can pick up materials beginning April 6 at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center and collect stamps at partner events throughout the month.
Returning highlights include International Dance Day on April 29, when Dallas City Hall transforms into a performance and teaching space featuring local dancers, classes and wellness programming.
Across the city, arts organizations are also layering in their own events.
St. Angelo’s organization is helping coordinate the Dallas Jazz Appreciation Month “Jazz Stroll,” which will feature multiple ensembles performing across venues in the Dallas Arts District. starting April 1.
The event will include stops at institutions like the Dallas Museum of Art and other indoor and outdoor spaces, all free to the public. Arts leaders say the month also serves a broader purpose of community connection.
April also coincides with Autism Awareness Month, and organizers are highlighting sensory-friendly programming across the city to make events more inclusive. St. Angelo said the arts play a unique role in bringing people together.
“The arts are the last best hope of bringing people together,” she said. “People are coming together and can coexist in the same space and have an enjoyable experience in. You can't really say that about anything else right now.”
Dallas Arts Month runs through April 30.
