Dallas arts and cultural organizations vying for $75.2 million for facility upgrades

Dallas voters will soon have the chance to approve $75.2 million for repairs and maintenance in 15 city-owned arts and cultural facilities as part of a $1.25 billion bond package.

Early voting on the bond program began on Monday, April 22, and runs through April 30, and the municipal election day is Saturday, May 4, when communities across North Texas will vote on spending projects, changes to their charters and electing local officials.

The Dallas Museum of Art, slated to get $20 million, plans to use the funding to replace infrastructure related to chillers, as well as temperature and humidity controls. The museum will also dedicate funding to install a fire suppression system.

Kalita Humphreys Theater, the historic theater between Oak Lawn and Uptown, would get nearly $9 million in funding for HVAC repairs, fire alarm replacements, and fixes to bathrooms and dressing rooms. The renovations would help the theater become compliant with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Another entertainment space, the Wyly Theater at the AT&T Performing Center, will get $5 million for elevator, HVAC and roof repairs. The theater also plans to use bond dollars to upgrade the stage space.

South Dallas Cultural Center, located near Fair Park, has a little over $2 million in funding for HVAC and critical roof repairs. The money will also be used to upgrade outdated bathrooms and replace gallery and hallway flooring.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre will get $3 million to replace its terracotta roof and modernize its elevator system and water mitigation mechanism. The Latino Cultural Center will get $4 million to reinforce the original building’s foundation. Meanwhile, the Oak Cliff Cultural Center will get $450,000 to fix its parking lot and add ADA-compliant enhancements.

Leaders of these arts and cultural organizations have said Prop E is focused entirely on basic but critical stuff. “Nothing shiny and new; just taking care of what we’ve got,” wrote Agustín Arteaga of the Dallas Museum of Art, Zenetta Drew of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and Warren Tranquada of the AT&T Performing Arts Center in The Dallas Morning News.