Editor's note: This story is part of an ongoing series for Arts Access examining the health and well-being of our North Texas arts economy.
At Reunion Tower on Saturday night, Kool & the Gang鈥檚 鈥淐elebration鈥� played and arts proponents celebrated. Voters approved a bond package that includes one of the largest allocations for cultural facilities in decades.
The city鈥檚 15 cultural facilities will receive $75.2 million, or a little over 6%, of the $1.25 billion bond package, which local arts leaders have fiercely advocated for in recent months. The funding is the most that Dallas cultural facilities have received in the last five bond programs, going as far back as 1998.
Jeff Ellerman, chairman of the board of trustees at the Dallas Museum of Art, stopped by the bond campaign watch party at Reunion Tower. He said voters鈥� approval of the bond funding is 鈥渇antastic.鈥�
The Dallas Museum of Art is expected to receive $20 million, the largest proportion of the funding allocated to Dallas cultural facilities.
鈥淭he DMA hasn鈥檛 gotten meaningful funds from a bond election in decades. The building is in dire need of security and mechanical and HVAC repairs. It鈥檚 for the basic stuff,鈥� Ellerman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic that the voters have spoken and agree with that.鈥�
Charles Santos, the executive and artistic director of Dallas鈥� TITAS/Dance Unbound, often works at two of the facilities that will benefit from the funding 鈥� the Winspear Opera House and Moody Performance Hall. He said the funding will help maintain city-owned facilities that are vital to the arts.
鈥淲hat's so great about this proposition is it鈥檚 nothing shiny, nothing new. It's taking care of what we have,鈥� Santos said in a phone interview.
While it鈥檚 a step forward, the bond funding won鈥檛 fix everything. The city has logged $133.2 million in needed repairs and maintenance at its cultural facilities.
Some of the needs that could now be taken care of: rat-bitten carpet at the Winspear Opera House; HVAC at the South Dallas Cultural Center; electrical upgrades at The Latino Cultural Center; roof repairs at Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
Santos recalls hosting the premiere of renowned dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp in the Dallas Arts District. He said international guests who attended were in awe of the facilities that exist along Flora Street.
鈥淭hey said 鈥榳e had no idea this existed in Dallas,鈥� 鈥漇antos said. The bond funding 鈥渉elps us establish ourselves as a real international player on the world stage.鈥�
Courtney Spellicy served as a District 9 committee member on the Streets and Transportation Subcommittee for this year鈥檚 capital bond program. She鈥檚 also an arts lover who voted to fund cultural facilities.
She and her family enjoy theater shows and Dallas Symphony Orchestra performances at the Meyerson Symphony Center, which is expected to receive $7.32 million from the bond package.
Spellicy said while it鈥檚 difficult to get funding for repairs and upkeep that are less than glamorous, the work is essential.
鈥淣o one wants naming rights for deferred maintenance. You don鈥檛 want to throw your name up for the roofing or the waterproofing or some of those things like that. So some of those un-sexy projects are aspects that simply have to be done.鈥�
This year鈥檚 bond package includes funding for many needs across the city from housing to parks. But at the end of the day, Spellicy said it鈥檚 about making sure Dallas is on par with other thriving metropolitan cities.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of a single world-class city of note that doesn鈥檛 have a really strong, thriving arts scene.鈥�
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