The Dallas City Council voted Wednesday to approve a request by the Office of Arts and Culture to 鈥渞eallocate鈥� $190,000 from the city鈥檚 upcoming budget for the purpose of improving and eventually leaving its offices in the Majestic Theatre.
Four council members voted in favor of an amendment proposed by councilman Chad West that would have nullified the request and allocated the $190,000 instead for 鈥渃ontract services to provide grants to arts and cultural organizations.鈥�
But an outspoken majority voted to quash the West amendment, underscoring how contentious the discussion had become in an hour and 12 minutes.
In a debate that has roiled the city鈥檚 arts community 鈥� which continues to face economic hardship since the onset of the pandemic 鈥� 10 of the 14 council members minced no words in supporting the wishes of OAC director Martine Elyse Philippe, who assumed her position nine months ago.
That was merely one surprise in a testy portion of Wednesday鈥檚 meeting. The other was the revelation that Philippe鈥檚 plans to leave the Majestic office were long-term, not immediate, as some council members had believed.
Using figures that had not been publicly shared, Philippe said the $190,000 instead would break down this way: $58,000 for 鈥渕aintenance needs,鈥� such as fixing or replacing an aging elevator that leads from the lobby of the Majestic Theatre to OAC offices on the third, fourth and fifth floors; $42,000 for a stipend to allow OAC employees to take the bus or park near the Majestic; with the remaining $90,000 being used to 鈥渞econfigure鈥� the space to accommodate what Philippe says is her current employee level of 30.
Put another way, the Majestic would be repaired while her staff is still using it, en route to creating a renovated space for whomever uses it in the future. The city鈥檚 fiscal year begins annually on Oct. 1, which means the start of a fiscal year three cycles from now would be Oct. 1, 2026.
鈥淪o, yes, our plans have changed,鈥� Philippe said, as she addressed the council. In a recent interview with The Dallas Morning News, the OAC director declined to say when the office would move to a new space.
West challenged Philippe, saying, 鈥淭he 190, it鈥檚 just different now than it was when it was presented to us. So, I鈥檓 trying to absorb this and would like to see the breakdown of what those costs are.鈥�
In terms of 30 staffers occupying the Majestic鈥檚 offices, West said, 鈥淚 just envision having the folks who work in the cultural arts being out in the public, meeting with the artists and on site. Not necessarily in an office. That鈥檚 kind of the struggle I鈥檓 having right now.鈥�
West praised Philippe for 鈥渇inding鈥� $816,000 in savings, which she said would come from the city transferring management of the Meyerson Symphony Center to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, as a way of bankrolling the $190,000. But then he added:
鈥淓very dollar that we can find available for artists and for grants, I would want to push for. Having a move now and another move later, I just don鈥檛 see as being a fiscally responsible use.鈥�
On that point, West echoed Dallas arts advocates who have , saying the $190,000 would effectively be drawn from funding for arts groups. The office disputes that claim, saying the cost is offset by savings from the Meyerson.
At one point, council member Paula Blackmon asked: 鈥淚鈥檓 a little confused. Are you moving, or are you not?鈥�
Philippe answered by saying, 鈥淲e will be moving but not within the bounds of this biennial budget,鈥� which ends Sept. 30, 2025. 鈥淣ot in these two fiscal years.鈥�
Blackmon replied, 鈥淒id that just kind of change in the last week?鈥�
鈥淣o,鈥� Philippe said.
City Manager T.C. Broadnax, who approved OAC鈥檚 budget request for the $190,000 for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, praised Philippe for answering the council鈥檚 questions and added, 鈥淚 would hope we would give her the benefit of the doubt. She has a grasp of what she believes the organization needs and has an understanding of what the arts community needs at a broad level.鈥�
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn King Arnold offered further support to Philippe by giving her pointed advice: 鈥淵ou just have to stay grounded and position yourself for the heat 鈥� which is what you鈥檙e getting.鈥�
In terms of Philippe鈥檚 proposal generating its own political firestorm, Arnold said, 鈥淲elcome to Dallas.鈥�
But council member Cara Mendelsohn, one of four who voted for the West amendment, called OAC鈥檚 reallocation request 鈥渆gregious,鈥� saying that $190,000 would be 鈥渆xtraordinary for a small arts organization. That would be an extremely meaningful gift.鈥� Elevators and parking issues should be the city鈥檚 problem, she said, without compromising the funding needs of an individual organization, such as the OAC.
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