In a win for the local arts and culture scene, Prop E was approved by 76% of voters.
“These funds ensure that we can continue to protect the people and art in our care for years to come,” says Tamara Wootton Forsyth, deputy director of the Dallas Museum of Art, in a statement to the Observer. “We are endlessly grateful to the Dallas community for their overwhelming support of Prop E, and to the members of City Council for working tirelessly to create a bond package that includes one of the largest allocations for cultural facilities in decades.”
“It's the largest arts and culture investment that we know of from the city,” the AT&T Performing Arts Center's Warren Tranquada tells us. “It’s tackling decades of deferred maintenance across 15 facilities, from neighborhood cultural centers to large performing arts centers and museums.”
The Dallas Museum of Art, Kalita Humphreys Theater, Majestic Theater, Winspear Opera House and Meyerson Symphony Center are among those affected. Tranquada believes that the dedication to improving existing structures instead of building new ones is what made the proposition so popular.
Many of the projects will tackle logistical issues pertaining to structural aspects of these buildings. HVAC replacements, elevator modernization and water filtration system repairs are among the common issues.
“What we're looking at here is all about being good stewards of these facilities,” he says. “Nothing sexy. All critical infrastructure. If it breaks, you can't have performances, and the buildings will no longer be the best-in-class facilities that they are.”
Breaking Down the Budget
The big-ticket item of Prop E is the Dallas Museum of Art (1717 N. Harwood St.). A total of $20 million of the bond had been allocated for the improvement of temperature controls, ventilation systems and fire suppression systems.Kalita Humphreys Theater (3636 Turtle Creek Blvd.), the only freestanding theater designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, has regrettably sat in disrepair for years. The $8.9 million allocated to it by Prop E will kickstart the theater’s journey to full restoration. Repairs will include HVAC replacements, public safety upgrades and repairs to the exterior and backstage areas.
A cool $8.3 million has been set aside for the Majestic Theater (1925 Elm St.), the century-old Downtown Dallas institution. Scheduled projects include replacing seats and windows, improvements to interior disability accessibility and restoration of its “historic facade.”
Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center (2301 Flora St.), a modernist marvel in the Arts District, will receive $7.3 million to repair its roof and water infiltration system and replace reverb chambers and acoustic panels.
Winspear Opera House (2403 Flora St.), the centerpiece of the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s campus in the Arts District, will be allotted $6.6 million for the repair of its envelope, flooring and HVAC systems, as well as various safety and IT updates.
Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre (2400 Flora St.), a more intimate space at the Arts Center's campus, will receive $5 million for updates to its elevators and HVAC system, repairs to its roof and replacement of its fire alarm and suppression system. Floor-to-ceiling repairs, including to windows and scenic elements, are also on the docket
Latino Cultural Center (2600 Live Oak St.), a regional hotspot for the preservation and promotion of Latino and Hispanic culture, is receiving $4 million to repair its foundation and replace its roof and windows.
Sammons Center for the Arts (3630 Harry Hines Blvd.), which houses 16 resident arts organizations, will receive $3.7 million to replace its windows, repair drainage issues and update its elevators and bathrooms.
The Dallas Black Dance Theatre (2700 Ann Williams Way), the oldest continuously operating dance company in Dallas, will receive $3.1 million to replace parts of its roof and flooring as well as upgrades to its elevator, security and HVAC systems.
Moody Performance Hall (2520 Flora St.), which frequently houses concerts, theatrical productions and other events, will receive $2.3 million to upgrade its HVAC system and repair its roof.
South Dallas Cultural Center (3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave.), which emphasizes African contributions to performing, literary and visual arts, will receive $2.2 million to replace its roof, repair the exterior, update bathrooms, upgrade black-box performance spaces and replace gallery flooring.
AT&T Performing Arts Center (2403 Flora St.), a nonprofit that operates a 10-acre campus comprising many of the individual venues mentioned here, will receive $881,000 for campus-wide safety and security updates, parking garage repairs and repairs to its Sammons Park plaza.
Oak Cliff Cultural Center (223 W. Jefferson Blvd.), which hosts community-based arts and culture programming and consists of an art gallery and multi-purpose studio, will receive $450,000 to upgrade its parking lot and bathrooms.
Annette Strauss Square (2403 Flora St.), an outdoor performance space at Sammons Park, will receive $575,000 to replace the stage house roof and HVAC system and to repair its lighting and update its fire suppression system.
