Mission: To enhance the value of the city’s creative and economic life by engaging artistic, educational, and commercial neighbors through excellent design, practices, and programs.

Vision:  Transform the Dallas Arts District into a dynamic destination for locals and tourists alike while creating a fulfilling urban experience. The District is powered by the imagination of artists globally, while seamlessly integrating exemplary artistic, residential, cultural and commercial life.

Values:  Collaboration, Education, Community, Inclusion, and Innovation

Located in the northeast corner of downtown Dallas, the Dallas Arts District is the largest contiguous urban arts district in the nation, spanning 118 acres. This iconic neighborhood has more buildings designed by Pritzker award-winning architects than any location in the world.  Dallas Arts District unifies culture and commerce into a dynamic destination for locals and tourists alike while creating a fulfilling urban experience. The District is powered by the imagination of artists globally, while seamlessly integrating exemplary artistic, residential, cultural, and commercial life and was awarded a maximum 3-star rating by the prestigious Le Guide Vert – Michelin Green Guide.  Its programmatic highlight is the Signature Block Party Series comprised of two free public events that support events at the cultural venues, featuring local, state, and national artists drawing more than 50,000 visitors from over 144 zip codes.

Since 1984, Dallas Arts District Foundation (DADF), a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, serves as the primary steward and representative for the institutions and properties within this distinctive neighborhood. In 2007, Fregonese Associates collaborated with arts district leaders to create the Dallas Arts Strategic Assessment and Action Plan. “With the district maturing and  growing, property owners see a need  for an umbrella management  association to provide broad and consistent management direction,  promote the Arts District as a  cohesive unit, coordinate activities and take a leadership role in guiding  the form and maintenance of the district in the next critical years.”   As a result of this plan, the organization was reconstituted in 2009, operating with its first Executive Director, Veletta Lill.  Downtown Dallas, Inc., a nonprofit organization representing downtown Dallas served as an incubator for Dallas Arts District for ten years.  Currently, Dallas Arts District Foundation is operating as an independent non-profit cultural district management organization unifying culture and commerce.

Dallas Arts District currently provides operational and marketing support in numerous ways, touching 4.1 million visitors including 500,000 students annually:

License to be Creative: for State of the Arts License Plate:

A portion of TCA’s grants budget is earned through sales of the State of the Arts license plate.  A State of the Arts license plate costs $30 in addition to your regular registration fee.  TCA receives $22 for each State of the Arts license plate sold or renewed.  All of the revenue generated from the sale of State of the Arts license plates is distributed through grants, so the more we raise through the license plate, the more we give through grants.

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