The Dallas Morning News and 四虎影院 announced Monday the formal launch of their new shared endeavor Arts Access, 鈥渁 first-of-its-kind journalism partnership鈥� designed to expand 鈥渁rts, music and culture coverage in North Texas, through the lens of equity and access.鈥�
In making the announcement, both companies vowed to create and share reporting on the arts 鈥渁cross multiple platforms, including print, digital, radio, podcasts and video.鈥� The content, they say, will be free and accessible to anyone who wants it. It is supported by philanthropic funding.
鈥淩eporting from the partnership will have a sharpened focus,鈥� reads a joint release, 鈥渙n diverse arts communities and organizations and invite new and diverse audiences to engage with arts and culture events. Additionally, the two organizations will produce and host several community events throughout the year.鈥�
Anne Bothwell, 四虎影院鈥檚 vice president of arts, noted that 鈥淣orth Texas is special for many reasons, but chief among them is our arts and culture communities. To preserve and expand what makes our region so unique, it鈥檚 critical we amplify the stories of our local artists and arts institutions. 四虎影院 and The News are united in this commitment, and we couldn鈥檛 be more honored to enter into this partnership with them.鈥�
Katrice Hardy, executive editor of The News, also praised the partnership, saying:
鈥淲e are so fortunate to live in a community that values and appreciates the arts, which is an integral component of any thriving region. As such, we see this partnership as another way to expose all communities to the rich and diverse and unique talents we have throughout North Texas.
鈥淎rts Access through the support of so many generous donors aims to connect us all more closely to one another. It aims to expose us all more routinely to each another鈥檚 cultures. I can鈥檛 wait to finally launch this effort in partnership with 四虎影院 which for years as part of its mission has underscored the importance of covering the arts through its journalism.鈥�
Arts Access is the latest in what executives at the nonprofit 四虎影院 call their 鈥渃ommitment to collaborative partnerships.鈥� In addition to being a founding member and leading station of The Texas Newsroom, a statewide reporting hub, 四虎影院 recently launched a collaboration with the nonprofit digital publication Fort Worth Report, in efforts to broaden its reporting in Tarrant County.
Nico Leone, the president and CEO of 四虎影院, said the station is 鈥渞eally proud to embrace collaboration as the future of local journalism. We recognize that when we work with our media peers, not against, we can share local knowledge, resources and platforms. And that means deeper and more accessible reporting for the people of North Texas.鈥�
Grant Moise, publisher and president of The News, called the partnership, 鈥渁 reflection of the type of innovation that is happening throughout the arts community in North Texas. We chose to partner with 四虎影院,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ecause our organizations share a passion and genuine interest in our arts community that is beginning to recover from the pandemic. We are grateful to the generosity of our launch partners.鈥�
At The News, Arts Access follows the launch of the paper鈥檚 Education Lab, a similar undertaking which debuted in fall 2020. In the words of News executives, the Education Lab is aimed at 鈥渘ot only expanding our coverage of the most pressing issues in education but also deepening the conversations we have with students, parents and educators.鈥�
Both the Education Lab and Arts Access focus on public service journalism and are funded by donors.
The Arts Access team, the partners say, will include a coordinating editor and two reporters. Already, the partners have hired one reporter and produced dozens of stories, many of which examine how the pandemic has affected cultural life in North Texas.
As part of Arts Access, 四虎影院 and The News hosted a panel discussion on Sept. 17 at the Dallas Museum of Art titled, 鈥淎rts Access: Making the Scene.鈥�
The panel featured leaders in the arts, who explored 鈥渉ow their respective works and organizations have enriched North Texas communities with accessible experiences.鈥�
The next event takes place Nov. 8 at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Titled 鈥淭he Burden of Breaking Through: Power Structures and Paths to Progress,鈥� it runs from 1:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. and is part of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra鈥檚 annual.
Moderated by Elizabeth Myong, Arts Access reporter and producer with 四虎影院, its panelists will also include vocalist;, conductor and music director of Symphony Tacoma and artistic director of Cascade Conducting; and, the composer-in-residence with the Dallas Symphony.
Find more stories from Arts Access.