Mayor Rawlings and arts organizations to kick off Dallas Arts Week Wednesday

Mayor Mike Rawlings will kick off the fourth annual Dallas Arts Week on Wednesday April 6 at Dallas City Hall. Each year, Dallas Arts Week brings arts organizations together to promote and celebrate local artists and showcase the city’s flourishing arts scene.

“There are many things to be proud of in Dallas and one of them is our vibrant arts scene,” Mayor Rawlings said. “The creative arts sector is important to our city’s soul and economic vitality. During this weeklong celebration, I encourage our residents and visitors to go out and participate in the art programs, activities and events our city has to offer.”

Dallas residents and visitors can participate in more than 100 arts and cultural offerings throughout the city that include festivals, plays, concerts, exhibitions and literary events. One of the signature events is Creative Conversation, an annual panel discussion featuring some of Dallas’ top thought leaders in the arts. The 4th Creative Conversation will be held on April 11 at Dallas City Performance Hall. It is to be moderated by internationally distinguished art historian, curator and educator Dr. Richard Brettell.

“I know I speak for my colleagues in the cultural community when I say that Dallas Arts Week is a wonderful opportunity to shine a light on the incredible talent, diversity and quality of the artists and organizations in Dallas,” said Joanna St. Angelo, executive director of Sammons Center for the Arts and president of Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition (DACAC). “We appreciate having a Mayor who understands how important arts and culture are to the development of a thriving 21st century city.”

Here’s the Dallas Arts Week schedule of events:

April 9: Dance Planet 20, the 20th anniversary of the annual dance festival
April 9: D’JAM Jazz Open House, part of the annual Jazz Appreciation Month
April 9: DFW Art Awards, honors local artists for their contributions to the community
April 10: My DSO Concert, a free concert for families presented by Dallas Symphony Orchestra
April 12: Dallas Arts Celebration Day at the Latino Cultural Center
April 14: The eighth edition of Dallas Art Fair, Arts Week’s anchor fair, with 95 galleries from 17 different countries.
April 14: The Dallas International Film Festival returns with 113 films representing 31 countries and the debut of USA Network’s Queen of the South