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We would love to hear from you! Whether you're planning a meeting or vacation, or just have general questions about Dallas, feel free to contact us.

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Festival Updates

The latest from the kNOwBOX dance Film Festival.

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kNOwBOX dance

Dance Behind the Screen

#dancebehindthescreen.

NB presents Dance Behind the Screen Podcast , a conversation series with people who have dance-related careers questioning the influence of social media in dance process, production, and publicity.

On our site, you can find full episode show kNOwtes with guest recommended resources. 

Dance Behind the Screen: a look behind the scenes of the dance world in the digital space

Discover past episodes.

Episode 117 | Nonprofit Arts Leadership w/ Gayle Halperin, Bruce Wood Dance

Episode 118 | Relationship Building: Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart, Visit Dallas

Episode 119 | Dancers Are Doers: Lily Cabatu Weiss, Dallas Arts District

Episode 120 | The Elevator Pitch: Gigi Rosenberg, Public Speaking Coach

Episode 121 | Arts Administration: Morgana Wilborn, Parable Brands & Services

Episode 122 | Developing a Donor Base: Diana Marquis

Episode 123 | From Dancer to Artistic Director: Melissa M. Young, Dallas Black Dance Theatre

Episode 124 | Building Your Dance Company & Studio: Nicolina Lawson, Ballet North Texas

We Are Dallas Arts

We are dallas arts initiative, welcomes audiences back.

29 Dallas Groups Collaborate to Proclaim the Arts are Back!

(DALLAS) Arts and culture are back in Dallas! And the city’s diverse arts community has launched an initiative, We Are Dallas Arts , urging audiences and patrons to return and again enjoy live, in-person cultural experiences.

“We all took a serious hit during the pandemic when our venues and spaces closed and audiences stayed home,” said Lily Weiss, executive director of the Dallas Arts District who helped spearhead the effort. “But now, with the holidays ahead and safety protocols in place, people are ready and eager to return, and we want everyone to know – we’re open and ready to welcome them back!”

In this unprecedented collaboration, twenty-nine nonprofit organizations joined forces to create three We Are Dallas Arts video spots for social media and broadcast. The 15-, 30-, and 60-second spots reflect the wide range of artists, genres, art forms and venues in the diverse and vibrant Dallas cultural community. Organizers say it is unique, pioneering, and forward-thinking in its inclusivity of Dallas.

“This is a natural outgrowth of the tremendous cooperation between our groups throughout the pandemic,” said Weiss. “Individually, most of our organizations would not have the resources to do this alone. But together, we realized we could make a strong statement about our community – that Dallas culture is back – and these spots will help spread the word!”

The spots will be shared through social media channels and by participating broadcast media. They refer viewers to www.WeAreDallasArts.org and the Culture Calendar, a comprehensive listing of upcoming programs and events presented by the Dallas nonprofit arts community. The calendar is powered by KERA’s Art&Seek and managed by the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The high-energy spots include video and photography of local arts groups. Two veteran Dallas actresses provided the voiceover work. Liz Mikel recorded the English version and Christie Vela the Spanish version. A task force of community arts leaders worked with a media firm to create this campaign in less than a month.

During the pandemic, the arts community collaborated to create comprehensive Covid-19 safety protocols for reopening. They cooperated on surveys to track the devastating impact of the pandemic: $95M in economic losses, more than 1,000 jobs lost, and three million in lost attendance. They collaborated to advocate for government financial resources. They even worked together to find the best prices on things like air filters, hand sanitizer, and masks. The community credits its survival to funding support from patrons; city, state and federal government; private, corporate, and foundation philanthropy; and the community’s willingness to work together.

“This ‘can do’ spirit and the collaborative support of each other is why the Dallas arts community has survived these last 20 months,” said Weiss. “And with one voice, we are saying, the arts are back – come out and let your spirit soar!”

Participating Cultural Arts Organizations:

• Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico
• AT&T Performing Arts Center
• Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble
• Bishop Arts Theatre Center
• Bruce Wood Dance
• Crow Museum of Asian Art
• Dallas Arts District
• Dallas Black Dance Theatre
• Dallas Chamber Symphony
• Dallas Museum of Art
• Dallas Summer Musicals
• Dallas Symphony Orchestra
• Dallas Theater Center
• Dallas Winds
• Fine Arts Chamber Players
• Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra
• Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
• Klyde Warren Park
• Nasher Sculpture Center
• Perot Museum of Nature & Science
• Sammons Center for the Arts
• Shakespeare Dallas
• Sixth Floor Museum
• Teatro Dallas
• Texas Ballet Theater
• TITAS | DANCE UNBOUND
• Turtle Creek Chorale
• Visit Dallas

Media Links:

Culture Calendar:  www.WeAreDallasArts.org

Press Release: ENGLISH , SPANISH

Video Spots

The :30 can be viewed on the Dallas Arts District home page ( www.DallasArtsDistrict.org) .  Many participating groups will host the video as well. They can be viewed individually above.

:15 Spot (English)

:15 Spot (Spanish)

:30 Spot (English)

:30 Spot (Spanish)

:60 Spot (English)

:60 Spot (Spanish)

Media Contact:                                                                                                                                                                             Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart:  [email protected],  (214) 744-6642

Upcoming Events

Dial M For Murder

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre

04/05/2024 - 04/28/2024

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Deep Ellum Is Celebrating Its 150th Birthday All Year in 2023, and You’re Invited

From a black-tie kickoff on january 19 to a parade, a music festival, a storytelling summit, and more, the deep ellum neighborhood just east of downtown dallas is gearing up for a 2023 to remember. known as the "birthplace of the blues in texas," the district buzzes with live music, street art, galleries, restaurants, clubs, and culturally creative retail. the sesquicentennial will bring something new: the opening of the deep ellum community cultural center. it's just one way 2023 will "shape the neighborhood’s future as a continued mecca for creatives, entrepreneurs, and all comers," says a deep ellum foundation leader..

[Photo: Micah Bires/Deep Ellum Foundation]

Deep Ellum, one of Dallas’ most iconic neighborhoods, will celebrate its 150th birthday in 2023 and a big, yearlong celebration is in the works.

“This incomparable district has given so much to the city of Dallas and all who’ve walked its storied streets and sidewalks over the last 150 years,” Stephanie Keller Hudiburg, executive director of the Deep Ellum Foundation, said in a statement. “It’s incredible to see the entire community coming together to celebrate Deep Ellum’s unmatched history for this special anniversary year while working together to shape the neighborhood’s future as a continued mecca for creatives, entrepreneurs, and all comers.”

The All Good Cafe in Deep Ellum [Photo: Christina Childress/Deep Ellum Foundation]

Black-tie kickoff on January 19

The celebration will kick off on Thursday, January 19, with a black-tie reception at the historic Pittman Hotel.

In each month that follows, local organizations will host events celebrating the district’s history, arts, music, and entrepreneurial legacy—including a parade in June honoring the district’s history as a Freedmen’s town, a music festival in October, and a storytelling summit in December with Deep Vellum, the local publishing house and bookseller.

Live music sets the beat all over Deep Ellum. [Photo: Christina Childress/Deep Ellum Foundation]

Mark Cuban is honorary chair of the yearlong celebration

Dallas Mavericks owner and “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban has signed on to be the honorary chair of the yearlong celebration.

Beginning in the 1980s, Cuban contributed to the revitalization of Deep Ellum by co-hosting now-famous “warehouse parties,” organizers said. In 1995, he co-founded Broadcast.com (then Audionet) in Deep Ellum. The latest venture supported by Cuban in Deep Ellum—the  Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company —reaffirms the district’s place as a key incubator of creative and entrepreneurial pursuits that disrupt whole industries.

Deep Ellum is home to 400+ businesses

Art is a draw in Deep Ellum. [Photo: Christina Childress/Deep Ellum Foundation]

The Deep Ellum Cultural District is home to more than 400 businesses, nearly half of which are independently owned and operated. Many of them have grown to serve the entire region and beyond.

The sesquicentennial celebration will be a collaboration between local groups, including the Deep Ellum Foundation, Deep Ellum Community Association, Deep Ellum 100, Foundation 45, Deep Ellum Radio, The Dallas Mavericks, Preservation Dallas, and Deep Vellum, along with both national brands and local business owners, residents, and property owners, sponsors said in a statement.

‘The birthplace of blues in Texas’

Music hits the streets in Deep Ellum.[Photo: Kristen Collie/Deep Ellum Foundation]

Sometimes called the birthplace of blues in Texas, Deep Ellum established itself as a place for creatives to showcase their talents. For example, “Deep Ellum Blues,” an American traditional song, refers to Deep Ellum’s historical place as an important neighborhood for African-Americans in downtown Dallas. It was home to music legends Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie Johnson, Lead Belly, and Bill Neely.

Deep Ellum 100 just recorded “The Sounds of Deep Ellum,” bringing together top talent in the district out of more than 100 applicants, to honor the 150th milestone. The record will be released on vinyl in 2023.

From galleries to street murals to creative spaces and more

Artists’ murals cover walls all over Deep Ellum. [Photo: Christina Childress/Deep Ellum Foundation]

The arts have enlivened the neighborhood through the years as street murals, galleries, and music venues have become staples of Deep Ellum. Also, creative spaces have grown across Deep Ellum as creative professionals seek out the district as a place to establish and inspire their businesses as designers, producers, makers, photographers and more.

Deep Ellum also is home to more than 100 bars and restaurants and 150 murals. Real estate experts said Deep Ellum is experiencing tremendous growth in residential and office development, doubling the units available to live in the neighborhood by 2023 while exponentially expanding opportunities to work in the district and enjoy all it has to offer.

Street shopping in Deep Ellum. [Photo: Kristen Collie/Deep Ellum Foundation]

Deep Ellum Community Cultural Center to open

Organizers also announced a major addition to the neighborhood as part of the celebration.

The Deep Ellum Foundation and Deep Ellum Community Association are partnering to open the Deep Ellum Community Cultural Center to mark the anniversary.

That effort is supported by a grant award of $137,500—the second-largest grant awarded in Dallas this year next to the Dallas Museum of Arts. The Community Cultural Center will feature a history exhibit curated by Dr. Alan Govenar, the preeminent scholar on Deep Ellum and author of Deep Ellum: The Other Side of Dallas.

Music is one of the elements that made Deep Ellum what it is, and visitors and locals alike will be able to listen to the music in dedicated listening rooms and learn about the neighborhood’s evolution in the center, which will also house local nonprofits, artists, and Deep Ellum Radio.

Deep Ellum was named a state Cultural District in 2020 and is poised to win designation as a nationally recognized historic district featured on the National Register of Historic Places in 2023.

[Photo: Kristen Collie/Deep Ellum Foundation]

Members of the Deep Ellum 150th Advisory Council:

• Adam Medrano, former Mayor Pro Tem, City of Dallas
• Eric Bradford, The Factory
• Damany Daniel, The Event Nerd
• Ronnie Fauss, Dallas Mavericks
• Tony Fundaro, Philanthropy Southwest
• Todd Hedrick, Salon Gossip
• Shalissa Perry, Downtown Dallas Inc.
• Froswa Booker-Drew, Soulstice
• Candy Smith, Candy’s Cocktails
• J.R. Munoz, Will Call Bar and Elm Street Saloon
• Jeff Cohen, Vinetower Development LLC
• Rajeev Gopalakrishnan, The Pittman Hotel
• Kristina Hart, Visit Dallas
• PJ Beard, Westdale

Confirmed Sponsors

• Asana Partners
• Larkspur Capital LP
• Texas Brand Bank

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R E A D   N E X T

The Deep Ellum Foundation has installed new streetlight pole banners showcasing the work of local Deep Ellum tattoo artists. Here's a gallery of the designs you'll see if you walk or drive through the neighborhood.

You may have seen her mural on the wall of Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum. But that's just for starters. Marshall has made her mark across Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond as an art curator and consultant for her firm Articulation Art. Tapping the talents of multiple artists, her company has curated art works on exterior and interior walls for the Virgin Hotel, the Design District Playground, the Renaissance Hotel, Cushman & Wakefield, the Case Building, Tom Thumb, 7-11, Deep Ellum Brewing Company, and many more businesses.

Worldwide Express—a global logistics provider with nearly $5 billion in systemwide revenue—is making the HQ move following its June 2021 merger with GlobalTranz. To mark its 30th anniversary this month, Worldwide is debuting as a primary sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series with a race this week at Texas Motor Speedway.

Ivan Sanchez will oversee the firm's global growth roadmap amid "its path of triple-digit growth." The industry veteran, who has been honored with a string of Effies, Cannes Lions, and other global awards, will leverage CIEN+'s proprietary capabilities in A.I. powered-insights and its inclusive creative services.

Mark Cuban has some hot takes on the metaverse, and he doesn't stop there. He made a recent virtual appearance on the YouTube channel Altcoin Daily to share his thoughts on Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Cardano, cryptocurrency in general, and more.

• 150th Birthday
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• Costs Plus Drugs
• Deep Ellum 100
• Deep Ellum Community Cultural Center
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• deep ellum foundation
• Deep Vellum
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• Stephanie Keller Hudiburg
• The Sounds of Deep Ellum

North Texas is a big place, with plenty to do, see, hear, and watch. So, we scour the internet every week to find events and activities for you. As always, things may change at any time, so be sure to check the official website or registration page for the latest details....

This Earth Month, and every day, Deloitte is committed to progressing a better future for all through a commitment to sustainability. We are focused on helping combat climate change, which also can create challenges and disruptions that can deepen existing societal inequities....

Wilks Development and the Frisco Economic Development Corp. have signed a development agreement that launches Phase One of construction and development for Firefly Park, a 242-acre mixed-use, master-planned development including 159 acres owned by Benbrook-based Wilks and 59 acres owned by Frisco EDC....

Dallas-based social impact company T.D. Jakes Enterprises is bringing the Good Soil Forum to the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, hoping to make North Texas home to a confluence of ideas, events, and a business-related social hot spot ahead of Juneteenth and Black Music Month....

StatLab Medical Products, a McKinney-based developer and manufacturer of medical diagnostic supplies and equipment, has acquired Scientific Device Laboratory, a Chicago-based manufacturer of printed diagnostic slides and a variety of consumables and kits for the anatomic pathology and microbiology markets....

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Festival Of Joy Returns To Klyde Warren Park

T he fifth annual  Festival of Joy  will take place at Klyde Warren Park on Saturday April 27, 2024. The celebration will begin at 11 a.m. and culminate with a live headline stage performance. 

Presented by the East Dallas restaurant Kalachandji’s, the Festival of Joy features traditional street food, folk dances, drop-in yoga, ask-a-monk, kids crafts, face painting, a clothing bazaar and vibrant stage entertainment. A variety of vegetarian foods will also be available for purchase.

“Dallas is a diverse, forward-thinking city, and the Festival of Joy has become a much-anticipated tradition that brings thousands of people together every year,” said Dallas City Council Member Jesse Moreno, who represents the district where Kalachandji’s and the Radha Kalachandji Temple are located. “The festival is a great way to fully immerse yourself in a holistic experience focusing on mindfulness, fun and harmony.”

New this year is an evening stage performance by popular Indian artist Gaura Vani. Vani performs a genre of traditional Indian kirtan music with Western elements such as 12-string guitar, gospel choruses and hip-hop rhythms.

The festival will start at 11 a.m. with a welcome ceremony at Klyde Warren Park, followed by a parade at 11:30 a.m. through the Dallas Arts District and back to the park at 1:30 p.m. After the procession returns to Klyde Warren Park, families and guests can enjoy a free vegetarian feast and live stage entertainment.

“The Festival of Joy has been a wonderful addition to Dallas’ spring traditions, showcasing our growing diversity and the cultural enrichment that the Indian community brings to the city and our community,” said Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart, VISIT DALLAS’ director of cultural tourism.

Visit  festivalofjoydallas.com  for updates on entertainment and activities.