Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. The event which spans from September 15 – October 15 commemorates how Hispanic individuals and communities influenced and continue to influence and contribute immensely to American society at large.

• Yanga and the AfroMexican Experience
  • Exhibition NOW – Saturday, October 15, 2022
  • Latino Cultural Center (2600 Live Oak St.)
  • Yanga and the AfroMexican Experience features an entire gallery devoted to Yanga, exploring this historical story with documents from the Archivo General de la Nacion (National Archives) in Mexico City and Archivo General de Indias (Archive of the Indies) in Seville, Spain. Learn about the African experience in the Mexican state of Veracruz, as the main landing site for many of the enslaved Africans that went directly to Mexico on the Caribbean coast, Costa Chica, the southern Pacific area that crosses the Mexican states of Guerrero and Oaxaca and the Texas bordering state of Coahuila that became a refuge for former slaves from the US.

• Flor, Canto, y Grito!
  • Friday, September 16, 2022 at 5 pm
  • Latino Cultural Center (2600 Live Oak St.)
  • The curated event highlights Hispanic and Native Cultures with food, drink, poetry, music, dance, and expressions of the spirit. The afternoon-into-evening program will delight the senses and give attendees a glimpse of the Hispanic and Native cultures of yesterday and today. There will be a mercadito with vendors and exhibitors offering folk arts, crafts, imports, and food.
• Ollimpaxqui Ballet Company
  • Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 11:30 am
  • Dallas Public Library – Renner Frankford Branch (6400 Frankford Rd.)
  • Celebrate Hispanic and LatinX Heritage Month with dance! Learn about the the spirit and traditions behind dances such as Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Folklorico, and more in this family friendly interactive program full of music and dance. 
• Latinidad Festival 2022
  • Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 5 pm
  • AT&T Performing Arts Center (2389 Flora St.)
  • Join us as we kick off Hispanic Heritage month with the first Latinidad Festival 2022 in Annette Strauss Square presented by the AT&T Performing Arts Center and Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico with a pop-up market curated by Hecho Con Amor. Celebrate the diversity of Latin America through food, music, dance, local vendors, and art. This festival is a FREE family-friendly event that brings the color and diversity of Latin America while also supporting and spotlighting local businesses, organizations, and artists.
    
    
• Family Movie Night: Coco!
  • September 21, 2022 at 4:30 pm
  • Pleasant Grove Branch Library (7310 Lake June Road)
  • A boy named Miguel dreams of becoming a famous guitar player, despite the misgivings of his close-knit family. When his lofty ambitions cause him to run afoul of a curse, he must journey into the Land of the Dead to seek forgiveness from his ancestors.

• Hispanic Heritage Celebration
  
  • Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 3:30 pm
  • Fireside Recreation Center (8601 Fireside Dr.)
  • Performances by Cara Mia Theater, Anita Martinez Ballet Folklorico (with live Mariachi band), and our City of Dallas Poet Laureate. 
    
• Sunny Sauceda Concert
  • Friday, September 30, 2022, 8-10 pm, Doors open at 7 pm
  • Latino Cultural Center (2600 Live Oak St.)
  • Sunny Sauceda is a three-time Grammy-winning Tejano music artist from San Antonio, Texas. Sauceda plays the accordion and is known as the most energetic accordion player in the world. His accordion playing often overshadows his vocal prowess. Sauceda has a sultry but powerful modern voice.
    

• Hispanic Heritage Month Festival
  • Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 10 am
  • The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center (2922 MLK Blvd.)
  • This year The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center are hosting our first ever Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday, October 1, 2022, which will be an in-person community event with free activities for children, live entertainment, and local vendors. Special guests include Ballet Folklórico Ollimpaxqui and the Cristo Rey Dallas Aesthetic Literacy students. There will be a live Zumba demonstration by Ariana Zuniga. We will also have a special art display from local students showcasing original art reflecting the diversity of Hispanic and Latino culture.
    
    
• Fronteriza: A Collaborative Project by Nuestra Collective
  
  • Exhibition from October 1 – November 4
  • Reception will be hosted Saturday, October 1 from 6 – 8 pm at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center
  • Oak Cliff Cultural Center (223 W. Jefferson Blvd.)
  • Nuestra Artist Collective is focused on creating a platform that includes only women artists in order to support and empower the often-excluded voices of Xicana and Latina artists. As women we approach art and themes about the border in a collaborative way. The interconnectedness in our work includes aspects of the female perspective about our family history, culture, place, and politics. During the past year, we have been fortunate to experience group meetings with the artists in the exhibit. This was an opportunity for us to exchange thoughts, share information, and learn from each other. Throughout our studio visits we discussed cultural identity, family history, socio-political issues, the environment, migration, and immigration policies. We realized the border is not just a line separating two countries, but it is also a cultural entity that unites us and informs the art we make.
    
    

• Explore Latin America: Colombia
  • Saturday, October 1, 2022 10:30 am  
  • Audelia Road Branch Library (10045 Audelia Rd.)
  • Bilingual Storytime, dance workshop led by Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico where you can learn to Cumbia, and craft paint your own Terra Cotta pot and learn about Ráquira, a small town known as the ceramics capital of Colombia.
    
    
• Explore Latin America: Puerto Rico
  
  • Saturday, October 8, 2022 10:30 am 
  • Forest Green Branch Library (9619 Greenville Ave.)
  • Bilingual Storytime,  Dance workshop and learn some traditional Puerto Rican dances such as Salsa and Reggaeton including some craft! Learn about the Taino, the indigenous people of the Caribbean and make your own Taino rock art.
    
    

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Dallas – The Dallas City Council voted unanimously today to adopt the Dallas Cultural Plan, an updated Cultural Policy, and an enabling ordinance.  With this new plan and its supporting policies, the City of Dallas through its Office of Cultural Affairs will work with partners to harness its arts and cultural strengths to address the city’s challenges.  The Dallas Cultural Plan affirms the City’s commitment to supporting a vibrant arts and cultural ecosystem in collaboration with its artist, cultural organization, funder, and other partners.

“This is an exciting moment for all residents of Dallas – many of whom worked with us to create this Plan via in-person meetings, online, social media, and more,” said Director of Cultural Affairs Jennifer Scripps.  “Through this plan, we discovered how much residents care about arts and culture, worked with them to create plans to bring arts and culture to them in their neighborhoods, and learned how our arts and cultural sector can come together to create more vibrant communities.  We are so thankful for everyone who gave time to share what they wanted for our future, and for the donors who generously funded this process.”

The Plan is the result of hundreds of meetings across the city of Dallas with nearly 9,000 residents and local artists and arts leaders who identified the top six priorities for arts and culture: Equity, Diversity, Space, Support for Artists, a Sustainable Arts Ecosystem, and Communication.  It identifies 31 strategies and 140 initiatives to create an equitable, diverse and connected community whose residents and visitors thrive through meaningful arts and cultural experiences in every neighborhood across Dallas.

“The adoption of this Cultural Plan is a key part of Dallas’ continued growth as an economically rich, vibrant and resilient community,” said Mayor Mike Rawlings. “The arts sector and our local artists, who contribute $900 million to our city’s economy each year, are some of the city’s best assets, and they have the power to imagine and create a better Dallas. I look forward to seeing the Office of Cultural Affairs and their partners begin the work and the strategies detailed in this plan.”

The Plan was generously funded in a public-private partnership by the residents of Dallas, the Communities Foundation of Texas, the Hoblitzelle Foundation, the Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, PNC Bank, Texas Instruments, and an anonymous foundation.  Its development was guided by the City-Council appointed Arts and Cultural Advisory Commission and a steering committee of local arts and cultural leaders.

“Thank you to the thousands of Dallas residents who shared with us their hopes for arts and culture,” said Jennifer Scripps.  “We are honored to serve the entire arts ecosystem of Dallas.  We look forward to implementing this plan, to really bringing it to life, alongside our artist and organization partners.”

 Cultural Plan

 Cultural Policy

 Summary Booklet – Cultural Plan

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The Office of Cultural Affairs works to enhance the vitality of the city and the quality of life for all Dallas residents by creating an equitable environment wherein artists as well as arts and cultural organizations thrive; people of all ages enjoy opportunities for creative expression; and all celebrate our multicultural heritage.

Our mission is to support and grow a sustainable cultural ecosystem that ensures all residents and visitors have opportunities to experience arts and culture throughout the city.

The post The City of Dallas Adopts a New Cultural Plan and Policy appeared first on City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Dallas Mayor Michael S. Rawlings accepts the 2018 National Award for Local Arts Leadership from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, January 26, 2018.

WASHINGTON, DC, January 26, 2018—Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors today awarded Dallas Mayor Michael S. Rawlings the 2018 National Award for Local Arts Leadership for cities with a population of 100,000 or more.

“I am deeply honored to join the distinguished list of leaders who have received this award from Americans for the Arts,” said Rawlings. “The arts lift us up and make life worth living. This really isn’t about me. It is truly a team effort, and Dallas would not be the burgeoning international arts destination that it has become in recent years without our residents, artists, arts organizations, businesses and our philanthropic community coming together to elevate the creative industry and our city’s cultural vibrancy. I am proud to serve as their mayor, and I dedicate this award to them.”

Since taking office in 2011, Mayor Rawlings, wanting to be known as the “Arts Mayor,” has spoken extensively about the importance and impact of the arts on the city’s economy and quality of life. The Dallas Arts District, with its iconic visual and performing arts venues, has drawn tourism downtown, spurred development, boosted property values and generates $395 million a year in economic impact.

At the start of his first term, Mayor Rawlings started Dallas Arts Week to shine a spotlight on the city’s arts organizations and work. It has proven so successful that last year it expanded to the full month of April, showcasing 55 groups and 156 events, including Mayor Rawlings’ Creative Conversations panels discussing tough issues for the arts. Dallas Arts Month is designed to build awareness and appreciation for the work of Dallas artists and organizations and foster creative learning and activity throughout the city.

Mayor Rawlings also supported the effort to create a new cultural policy for the city – the first since 2002. He supported city staff efforts to add funding to the Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, including the first-time use of the city’s hotel occupancy tax toward the arts. Mayor Rawlings also supported efforts to create another special marketing fund within the new Tourism Public Improvement District, which now provides almost $1.2 million annually in marketing grants, mostly to arts and cultural programs that attract tourists to Dallas.

“Dallas is a city with a dynamic and growing cultural ecosystem, and a major reason this ecosystem remains so vibrant is Mayor Michael Rawlings. He understands the importance of using the arts in very creative ways to help enhance the quality of life for Dallas residents, while at the same time harnessing the economic potential of investment in culture. We applaud Mayor Rawlings for his leadership worthy of this recognition,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts.

“Every year, The U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes the exemplary efforts of local leaders who believe as much as we do that the arts are an integral part our society,” remarked Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of The U.S. Conference of Mayors. “Mayors understand the connection between arts and business, and the significant contribution the arts make to the local economy.”

Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors presented their 2018 Public Arts Leadership Awards at the mayors’ Winter Meeting in Washington, DC. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan received the National Award for State Arts Leadership; Santa Fe Mayor Javier M. Gonzales received the National Award for Local Arts Leadership for cities with a population of fewer than 100,000; and actor and musician Michael Cerveris received the Citizen Artist Award.

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Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 55 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

The post Dallas Mayor Michael S. Rawlings Honored For Leadership in the Arts appeared first on City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Briefing Materials

• Agenda
• Public Art Action Items



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Briefing Materials

• Meeting Agenda
• Public Art Action Items
• Director’s Report

The post Cultural Affairs Commission Meeting – November 16, 2017 appeared first on City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Briefing Materials

• Meeting Agenda
• Briefing Materials

The post Cultural Affairs Commission – October 12, 2017 appeared first on City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Complete details on the Confederate monument matter, including the Public Art Committee meeting agenda, can be found here.

The post Public Art Committee Meeting Oct. 10 appeared first on City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Briefing Materials

• Agenda
• Director’s Report

The post Commission Meeting – August 17, 2017 appeared first on City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Appointed by Councilwoman Sandy Greyson, Sylvia served on the CAC for more than 5 years, most recently as our Vice-Chairwoman. Sylvia loved serving on the Public Art Committee and was instrumental in our dialogue with the arts community on issues of cultural equity.

In addition to her dedicated service on the CAC, Sylvia was a long-standing board member with the Friends of the Bath House Cultural Center and helped steer that group through several challenging years. She was a devoted patron and supporter of many, many arts organizations including TITAS, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, the Nasher, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

For me personally, Sylvia was a thoughtful and empathetic listener and thinker who brought years of experience and leadership in public service, not to mention a wry and hilarious sense of humor, to each of our interactions.

Services for Sylvia will be held this Saturday, July 1, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Nasher Sculpture Center. The family suggests wearing red lipstick – in her honor.

Jennifer Scripps

The post Statement By The Director of Cultural Affairs On The Passing of Commissioner Sylvia Hougland appeared first on City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Briefing Materials

• Agenda
• Public Art Voting Items
• Department Report

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