The Black Academy of Arts and Letters will be forced to relocate as part of the $3.7 billion renovation of Dallas' Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The city council's Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee met Tuesday to discuss the logistics of the plan, which include moving the academy into the Women's Museum inside Fair Park.
The city said it chose the Women's Museum after extensive site evaluations.
The relocation also presents an opportunity to revitalize the Women's Museum, which has been largely unused since 2010, said Dallas Assistant Director for Convention Services Reginald Williams.
"If you've ever been to the Women's Museum, you'll know that it has lots of vast open spaces," Williams said. "Lots of it. And so we just want to cosmetically create multi-purpose and performance areas to fit the needs of people."
Committee members also said they hope the museum鈥檚 centralized access to public transit and parking will encourage steady patronage of the exhibit and allow for collaboration with other arts organizations.
The history of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters goes back to the late 1800s. The organization, which has seen different forms and name changes throughout its history, has a stated mission of empowering the Black community through access to art, theater and other culturally important history.
The current iteration of the academy was founded in 1977 by Curtis King, and it's since been a pivotal cultural institution in Dallas.
Renovation and budget plans
The estimated cost for repairs and upgrades to the Fair Park location is $6.16 million, covering essential improvements such as HVAC, accessibility upgrades, and space reconfigurations. The project will be funded through the Convention Center Construction Fund, according to the committee.
Construction is expected to run through August when the Black Academy of Arts and Letters moves into the space. It's expected to remain on display at The Women鈥檚 Museum until it鈥檚 returned to the Convention Center in 2028.
Officials emphasized the need to ensure that organizations previously using the museum, including the Irish Festival, are accommodated.
Once the academy moves out, the space at the Women's Center could be used as a temporary home for other arts organizations undergoing facility renovations in the future, said David Zobrist, the chief operating officer for Dikita Enterprises 鈥� the project manager for the relocation.
"We're leaving it better than we found it, so that way, it gives opportunities for Fair Park to use it for other purposes," Zobrist said.
Additional reporting by Nathan Collins.
