If abiding by Webster's law, there's a decided difference between a "community" and a "city," and it's a divergence that speaks volumes about our Dallas. A community is defined as "a group of people living in the same locality," whereas a city is "a center of population, commerce and culture." Essentially, the separation of civic awareness and simple geographic coincidence exposes one of Dallas' main maladies: Yeah, we live, work and play here among tall buildings, but does that make us a city? One antidote is the Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery, which is hosting a ninth anniversary retrospective celebration Friday at 6 p.m. From the evocative surroundings of Misty Keasler to the disturbing dementia of Joel-Peter Witkin, PDNB is home to a wide range of fine art photography. Everything's for sale. Whether your taste runs conservative or "modern" (think Jock Sturges' progression, or perversion if you wish), the work displayed here is worthy of discussion and, consequently, aids in cultural advancement. Dallas as a city can be found at the Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery, 3115 Routh St. Call 214-969-1852. --Matt Hursh
Fashion Passion
4/30
The Dallas area is one big fashionable family with grand dame department stores and newly unveiled designer debutantes. ArtWear 2004, the University of North Texas' School of Visual Arts student fashion show, is the creative clan's hip kid who gives us a glimpse of style statements to come. Experimentation with fabrics and unconventional silhouettes is the runway's dominant theme. This year's show features 100 fashions by more than 20 young designers as well as an awards ceremony. ArtWear 2004 begins at 8 p.m. April 30 in the Silver Eagle Suite of UNT's University Union, one block west of Welch and West Prairie streets, Denton. Tickets are $25. Call 940-565-3577. --Stephanie Durham
Name Those Tunes
4/30
Talk to the hand, you shiftless non-supporters of struggling arts groups. Shame on you, you people who listen to public radio without pledging. Ain't no such thing as a free ride. There's devilish irony, though, in how hard nonprofit arts organizations will work to earn your money. Nobody puts on a better party than dancers, musicians and artists. Put them all together, as they're doing in Fort Worth to raise money for Mondo Drummers and Gracey Tune's Arts on Tap, and you get way more than your $25 ticket price. Shoot, it's a nearly free ride. On Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Victory Arts Center, 801 W. Shaw, that ticket gets you Broadway tapper Tommy Tune, New York silhouette artist Peter Gleibo, local poets, a ukulele orchestra, Trio Blanc and Mondo Drummers, plus a buffet dinner and cash donation bar. Call sponsor Arts Fifth Avenue for required advance tickets at 817-923-9500 or see www.artsfifthavenue.com. --Annabelle Massey Helber
