If we've been cynical, forgive us. We love Dallas. In this season of gratitude, let us pause and be thankful for a few things in Dallas culture. Ahem, here goes.
The Texas Theatre.
Katherine Owens for her sustained efforts in keeping Dallas theater edgy and contemporary. If 30 years ago, a theater company hadn't moved underneath Main Street in Deep Ellum, built an audience and stuck out through lean years, the theater scene in Dallas as we know it might be a very different place.
Dallas DanceFest returns for a sell out weekend. It's not often enough that Dallas sees such a strong showing of dance, or maybe it's just not often enough that we pay attention to it.
The addition of Zhulong Gallery to the Design District. Because it with it a commitment to showing new media in the gallery scene.
The promises of what's to come in 2016. From Red Arrow Contemporary's curatorial residency program to the Bowdon Family Foundation's artist studios/programs to ArtPrize Dallas, the landscape is shifting and it looks promising ahead.
Rawlins Gilliland and his well-lived life which he's turned into beautiful nights of storytelling.
Patricia and Mark of Open Classical for packing up their instruments and taking classical music to casual, unexpected locations.
NorthPark Center. If you want to see Dallas culture at its best and worst, you'll find it in a shopping mall where Warhols mingle with couture handbags and a food court.
Deep Ellum Windows for reminding us that art really can be shown anywhere. Especially when it's art worth looking at. Although the series ended last spring, we're looking forward to whatever Jeff Gibbons and Justin Ginsberg hatch next.
CentralTrak for letting artists go crazy.
Bart Weiss, Carolyn Sortor and everyone else at Dallas VideoFest for giving us innovative video art like Expanded Cinema.
Local artist Thor Johnson for teaching me (and anyone else who's paying attention) to dance like mad at music shows. Look for him at your next local concert, he's the guy moving like crazy near the front of the crowd.
ArtCon for proving to us for a decade that artists (and anyone, really) can use their skills to make a difference in their city. Oh, and for throwing us fun parties.
All the alternative art spaces in Dallas, from Two Bronze Doors to Homeland Security to Beefhaus to Midway Gallery to anywhere and everywhere that artists take over and mount artwork.
All you humans making art and keeping Dallas on its toes. We're glad you're here.
