The North Texas arts scene is beginning to thrive once again

In March 2020, the world as we knew it changed inconceivably for people across Dallas-Fort Worth as a result of the global pandemic. Between home stay orders, temporary and permanent business closings, and ever-changing scientific data, uncertainty has become the norm in almost every area of ​​daily life. The arts organizations in the region were particularly at risk. Even in the best of times, many struggled to get customers through their front doors and maintain the funds necessary to keep operations going.

But like countless other companies and nonprofits around the world, a collective survival instinct set in, fueling creativity and using technology to virtually deliver plays, musicals, symphonies, dance performances, and museum art collections directly to people, rather than the other way around . Much of the programming was offered for free, while some groups charged a small online streaming fee, but tens of thousands of viewers often donated money to their favorite organizations on top of the ticket price.

For some, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), grants, and other sources of funding helped keep salaries down. What seemed like the worst of the situation turned into a manifestation of hope through the power of artistic expression when we all needed it most.

Almost 18 months after the lights were dimmed at venues across North Texas, things are far from normal as the virus floods and new varieties bring back that old, unwanted sense of insecurity. But the teachings of the past year and a half prove that people yearn for the arts as much as ever, if not more. So rather than dwell on the setbacks and heartbreak – there have been many – there has never been a better time to look at the silver linings that have emerged and continue to manifest in unexpected ways.

Get creative

Getting their artistic offerings online was a universal remedy that many organizations used, but it was the most logical alternative to personal programming for performing arts groups whose shows carried over well to the digital medium. Theater Drei made the transition quickly and in May 2020 rehearsed and shot Mark Harelik’s “The Immigrant” with actors in front of a green screen.

“We were the first professional theater in the Metroplex to offer a new digital program,” says Jeffrey Schmidt, Artistic Director of Theater Three. “We have proven that, regardless of the situation, we can produce great theater and reach out to our patrons. You just have to see it as a creative challenge. And that is what artists love: to find creative solutions for creative challenges. “

Bruce Wood Dance debuted a series of films that sparked new levels of creativity in everyone involved and gave viewers a more intimate and closer look at the art of dance. “Because of the ingenuity, dedication and work of our artistic directors, our dancers, our board of directors and our employees, we threw ourselves into problem solving and thinking outside the box,” says Gayle Halperin, managing director of Bruce Wood Dance. “We are committed to preserving jobs and serving the public. It was intense. “

The artistic director Joy Bollinger asked the company dancer Cole Vernon to shoot a film version of his solo “Imagine” in various locations in Dallas. He recorded a video of himself performing in empty streets and parks. Halperin says it was the catalyst for several additional film projects, including “Hope,” which featured six acclaimed dance shorts by guest artists (four choreographers and two composers) that featured both COVID-19 and social justice themes.

The AT&T Performing Arts Center launched a YouTube channel, ATTPAC @ Home, and offered a wide range of content, including bilingual dance and craft classes, storytelling programs, backstage tours, and list concerts that highlight emerging local artists. Debbie Storey, President and CEO of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, says she saw the opportunity to offer educational programs virtually and make the content available for free to each school district to reach and engage thousands of students.

Performing Arts Fort Worth, Inc., the nonprofit owner and operator of Bass Performance Hall, has also expanded its reach into the education space.

“Our focus on virtual education has allowed us to expand our reach and provide opportunities for students, teachers, schools and individuals [who] previously at Bass Hall may not have been able to attend a personal performance, ”said Dione Kennedy, President and CEO, adding that the virtual program will reach over 61,750 students across the Dallas-Fort Worth area by August would have.

Classical music lovers had their wishes fulfilled when the Dallas Symphony Orchestra broadcast three full-length concerts and several smaller ensemble performances online for free, with expanded options for subscribers and donors. More than 300 chamber concerts were also presented across the city via the DSO’s concert car, a mobile performance vehicle with a small stage for musicians from the DSO and other organizations. These two opposing approaches to reaching the community were kind of a win-win.

“We’ve built a closer relationship with our musicians and made great technological improvements,” said Kim Noltemy, President and CEO of Ross Perot, Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Deep Ellum’s Undermain Theater turned, taking the pandemic as an opportunity to reach new audiences while showcasing its extensive library of film productions from the past 37 years. It created a Vimeo channel called Archives Undermain, which allowed even long-time subscribers to access shows they had never seen in person. For its second initiative, Virtual Undermain, the theater created brand new content by shooting shows with small casts and limited crews to make movies safe for streaming.

“Every cloud has a silver lining, as they say, and this was one of them for us. In October 2020 we streamed a one-man show by Conor McPherson, “St. Nicholas’ performed by Bruce DuBose, our Producing Artistic Director, ”said Danielle Georgiou, Associate Artistic Director. “This caught the attention of Terry Teachout, a Wall Street Journal critic who gave a fantastic review. We are so grateful to him. “

When the review came out, audiences from across the country started streaming the show. The same thing happened when he reviewed “Hedda Gabler” which, in addition to the cost of streaming tickets, led to new subscriptions and online donations.

Reaching new people in the United States and around the world was one of the most exciting byproducts of the Dallas art scene doing performances online. Bruce Wood Dance estimates it increased attendance by 185%, and had audiences from Connecticut to California, Canada to Mexico, and Europe and Iran – a country that Theater Three also found new fans.

The top museums in North Texas have also expanded their reach through a variety of online initiatives. The Dallas Museum of Art counted 30,000 unique visitors to a special virtual website while the building was closed.

“Shortly before our closure, we invested in photography, which enabled us to start virtual tours through selected exhibitions and galleries. These tours were hosted on a new secondary website, virtual.dma.org, and we also created a new email newsletter dedicated to content that can be enjoyed from home called Museum Mondays, ” says Dr. Agustín Arteaga, Eugene McDermott director for the Dallas Museum of Art, adding that the DMA has also created virtual programs for educators that can be used in schools.

“There were already plans in place to make the changes necessary to bring the museum fully into the 21st century and establish a more sophisticated digital presence,” says Arteaga. “Our closure and the subsequent leap into virtual programming certainly accelerated those plans and highlighted the work that needs to be done to stay relevant and build deeper engagement with our audiences beyond our walls.”

Eric M. Lee, director of the Kimbell Art Museum, also sees virtual programming as a positive addition.

“We use online and digital content as an opportunity to complement the on-site visit – not to replace it. With new functions such as virtual tours and robust social content, we are creating even more opportunities for the public to engage with our collection and special exhibitions, ”he says.

Another unexpected result of the venue closings and other lockdown measures was the level of collaboration between the organizations.

“The AT&T Performing Arts Center was created to serve our community. Closing our mission completely for a year or more and ignoring our mission has never been an option for us, ”says Storey of ATTPAC.

As soon as this was certain, the ATTPAC reopened its first venue, the open-air stage at Annette-Strauss-Platz, for a socially distant audience on the meadow.

“We did this so that our fellow artists in Dallas could have a place to perform while their traditional stages would remain closed. We waived rent and only charged hard costs. So far, more than 30 arts organizations in Dallas have performed in Strauss Square during the pandemic, ”she says. “The collaboration in the art scene was unprecedented.”

“It was really inspiring to work with other leading artists in the art during our closings, to give and receive advice and a system to help navigate through all the unknowns,” says Arteaga of the DMA. “The arts are essential to make Dallas a vibrant, dynamic city, and we need to stand up not only for our existence but also for our prosperity. Art organizations of all sizes are important and need support from many sources. “

With all of these adjustments to their normal routines, a large majority of the Dallas-Fort Worth arts organizations found ways to thrive, relative as the term may be. They completed their missions while learning new ways to influence the community both virtually and personally.

“Our outlook is good. We look forward to our upcoming exhibitions and the opportunities for new programs that will reach new audiences, ”says Kendal Smith Lake, director of communications for the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, noting that community support for the arts is one was a positive side effect.

A look at the event calendars of these organizations shows that there is a rainbow looming on the horizon, which only gets brighter and more vivid as that particular storm passes by.

See the entire ARTing Around D-FW section.

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