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Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order.
In the 1980s, Vicki Meek made her way to Dallas as an artist in residence for the City Arts Program, but she soon found that her calling lay in the administration side of the arts in the city that was slowly become her home. In 1983, she took her first job as an arts administrator at the City Arts Program to help build a more equitable funding system. By 1997, she took over the South Dallas Cultural Center. Now, she’s one of the city’s most recognizable arts advocate.
How did you first find your way into the South Dallas Cultural Center?
Well, I didn’t really find my way into the South Dallas Cultural Center; it found me. In 1997, Margie Reese was running the Office of Cultural Affairs and she was concerned about the lack of activity at the Center. At the time, I was doing a temporary foray out of the arts, working as a community organizer for the East Dallas Community School where my kids attended. This was my one break from the arts in my career but as it turns out, it actually was the missing piece of the puzzle in my quest to serve my community, because once I agreed to take over the South Dallas Cultural Center, I quickly realized the focus needed to be on the kids.
What has been your motivation to pursue this path?
At the risk of sounding flippant I have to say my motivation was the desire to never be a starving artist (I love designer shoes too much!). I am a realist and I knew that given the cultural climate of America and the rampant racism inherent therein, the chances of me making a living as an artist were very slim. White artists were not making a living at it so I knew not to put too much energy into treading that path. I initially thought after getting my MFA that I wanted to teach on the college level. That idea quickly evaporated once I understood that nobody in his or her right mind was ever going to offer me tenure. So that’s when the arts administration avenue became my way to make a living wage. This was the late 70s when I joined the staff of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts, a time before there were college degrees in arts administration and everyone doing these jobs was an artist. It was a wonderful, energizing time!
If you had to describe your aesthetic in five words, what would they be?
Memory, reclamation, heritage, multi-layered, and African-centered.
What in your daily life inspires you?
The younger artists who exhibit a strong commitment to an aesthetic rather than just being “art stars,” children exploring their creativity, elders who hold the history, my art-making peers, community activists who stay focused on the real issues, music, dance, my own offspring, my siblings, so many things…
In addition to your work at the South Dallas Cultural Center, how else have you and are you currently contributing to Dallas arts scene?
I’m always engaged in some form of support for other artists either being a mentor, a donor, or collaborator. I believe in being an active member of any community I’m a part of so that means I’m never idle! I am a big supporter of jazz musicians in the area and that often means I’m a donor to their projects as well as a regular audience member. I do believe in putting my money where my passions lie!
What brought you to Dallas and what’s keeping you here?
As is true for many women who end up in places they never dreamed they’d be, a man brought me to Dallas! What keeps me here is my love for this city. Dallas has afforded me the opportunity to do just about everything I ever wanted to do. Even though I haven’t pursued my studio practice here as much as my administrative career, it allowed me to live economically and raise my kids in a relatively safe environment so, in a way, it also supported my art life…I pretty much operate as a global being so my time here has been well-spent developing contacts all over the world so that my art production doesn’t suffer.
What’s your next big project?
I have two solo exhibitions coming up in May and October, and Elia Arce, my business partner, and I are developing an artist/creative person retreat in Puerta Viejo, Costa Rica, called The Institute for Creative Research, that we hope to have up and running next year. I plan to spend half the year there and half here once I retire next year. I’m also hoping to take advantage of an invitation to do a 3-month artist residency in Berlin next year.
What is something that Dallas doesn’t know about you?
Dallas doesn’t really know me as an artist so I’m thrilled to be retiring back into that part of my life. Dallas also doesn’t know that I’m a mommy and a great one.
Mystery patron offers you unlimited funds for life. What will you do with it?
I would definitely step up my philanthropy to my favorite arts and community organizations and I would endow an international travel fund for kids at South Dallas Cultural Center.
100 Creatives:
100. Theater Mastermind Matt Posey
99. Comedy Queen Amanda Austin
98. Deep Ellum Enterpriser Brandon Castillo
97. Humanitarian Artist Willie Baronet
96. Funny Man Paul Varghese
95. Painting Provocateur Art Peña
94. Magic Man Trigg Watson
93. Enigmatic Musician George Quartz
92. Artistic Luminary Joshua King
91. Inventive Director Rene Moreno
90. Color Mavens Marianne Newsom and Sunny Sliger
89. Literary Lion Thea Temple
88. Movie Maestro Eric Steele
87. Storytelling Dynamo Nicole Stewart
86. Collaborative Artist Ryder Richards
85. Party Planning Print maker Raymond Butler
84. Avant-gardist Publisher Javier Valadez
83. Movie Nerd James Wallace
82. Artistic Tastemakers Elissa & Erin Stafford
81. Pioneering Arts Advocates Mark Lowry & Michael Warner
80. Imaginative Director Jeremy Bartel
79. Behind-the-Scenes Teacher Rachel Hull
78. Kaleidoscopic Artist Taylor “Effin” Cleveland
77. Filmmaker & Environmentalist Michael Cain
76. Music Activist Salim Nourallah
75. Underground Entrepreneur Daniel Yanez
74. Original Talent Celia Eberle
73. Comic Artist Aaron Aryanpur
72. Classical Thespian Raphael Parry
71. Dance Captain Valerie Shelton Tabor
70. Underground Culture Mainstay Karen X. Minzer
69. Effervescent Gallerist Brandy Michele Adams
68. Birthday Party Enthusiast Paige Chenault
67. Community Architect Monica Diodati
66. Intrepid Publisher Will Evans
65. Writerly Wit Noa Gavin
64. Maverick Artist Roberto Munguia
63. Fresh Perspective Kelsey Leigh Ervi
62. Virtuosic Violinist Nathan Olson
61. Open Classical’s Dynamic Duo Mark Landson & Patricia Yakesch
60. Rising Talent Michelle Rawlings
59. Adventurous Filmmaker Toby Halbrooks
58. Man of Mystery Edward Ruiz
57. Inquisitive Sculptor Val Curry
56. Offbeat Intellect Thomas Riccio
55. Doers and Makers Shannon Driscoll & Kayli House Cusick
54. Performance Pioneer Katherine Owens
53. Experimental Filmmaker and Video Artist Mike Morris
52. Flowering Fashioner Lucy Dang
51. Insightful Artist Stephen Lapthisophon
50. Dallas Arts District
49. Farmer’s Market Localvore Sarah Perry
48. Technological Painter John Pomara
47. Progressive Playmakers Christopher Carlos & Tina Parker
46. Purposive Chef Chad Houser
45. Absorbing Artist Jeff Gibbons
44. Artistic Integrator Erica Felicella
43. Multi-talented Director Tre Garrett
42. Anachronistic Musician Matt Tolentino
41. Emerging Veteran Actor Van Quattro
40. Festival Orchestrator Anna Sophia van Zweden
39. Literary Framer Karen Weiner
38. Man Behind the Music Gavin Mulloy
37. The Godfather of Dallas Art Frank Campagna
36. Rising Star Adam A. Anderson
35. Artist Organizer Heyd Fontenot
34. Music Innovator Stefan Gonzalez
33. Triple Threat Giovanni Valderas
32. Cultural Connector Lauren Cross
31. Critical Artist Thor Johnson
30. Delicate Touch Margaret Meehan
29. Fashion Forward Charles Smith II
28. Dedicated Artist Carolyn Sortor
27. Political Cyber Banksy Wylie H Dallas
26. Dance Preserver Lisa Mesa Rogers
25. Rob ‘Ain’t No Creative Like A Bow-Tie-Wearing Creative’ Shearer
24. Scholar of the Stage Susan Sargeant
23. Photographer of Record Justin Terveen
22. Music Man Jeffrey Liles
21. Keeper of the Safe Room Lauren Gray
20. Playwright Jonathan Norton, Man of Many Words
19. Filmmaker and Funniest Comic in Texas Linda Stogner
18. Gallerist Jordan Roth, the Art Scene Cheerleader
