{"id":138227,"date":"2025-08-11T23:57:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T23:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/138227\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T23:57:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T23:57:08","slug":"dallas-arts-and-culture-grants-under-review-after-city-stops-dei-programs-policies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/138227\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas arts and culture grants under review after city stops DEI programs, policies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: This story is part of an ongoing series for Arts Access examining the health and well-being of our North Texas arts economy.<\/p>\n

On Thursday morning, graffiti artist Khadafy \u201cDAP\u201d Branch received an email from the city of Dallas\u2019 Office of Arts and Culture saying that funding he was counting on could be in jeopardy. <\/p>\n

Branch is one of several artists and arts groups in North Texas who at the end of last week received an email saying their funding from the city could be affected by Dallas City Council\u2019s recent halt of programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Office of Arts and Culture (OAC) is working diligently with City leadership to determine how these directives may impact various programs and services provided by OAC,\u201d the email said. <\/p>\n

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The uncertainty has thrown off Branch\u2019s plans for the fourth annual Styles Fest in Pleasant Grove, a free community event featuring mural art.<\/p>\n

Related:\u201cIt\u2019s about the company you keep\u201d: How 3 North Texas artists built an artistic lineage<\/a><\/p>\n

The city\u2019s OAC declined a request for comment. Instead, the office sent a policy review document titled \u201cEnsuring Federal Compliance While Driving Opportunity: City of Dallas Policy Review.\u201d The document details the timeline to halt DEI initiatives and outlines some next steps but does not give details on how this new policy would affect the arts. <\/p>\n

According to the OAC email, the changes could impact the future of programs such as the Culture of Value, Community Artist Program, Cultural Organizations Program and Arts Activate, which have supported cultural programming from diverse communities. <\/p>\n

Arts Access was a recipient of the Arts Activate grant last year and receives funding from the Dallas OAC.<\/p>\n

In the email, the OAC noted how the decision could affect funding decisions for current applications.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis email serves as an official notification that current timelines for application review and funding notifications may be delayed as a result of our review process.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, grants awarded before April 22 will be fulfilled without changes. <\/p>\n

Related:Muralists, painters, Folkl\u00f3rico dancers lead a natient Pleasant Grove art movement<\/a><\/p>\n

In past years, Branch received about $8,000 through the city\u2019s ArtsActivate program. While that funding wasn\u2019t enough to cover the roughly $17,000 to $21,000 it costs to put on the event, the support helped minimize how much he had to dip into his own funds or search for outside support. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy reaction was, I might have to start a GoFundMe or I might need to ask more people for help,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Styles Fest isn\u2019t just an event for Branch. The graffiti artist said it\u2019s a way to inspire youth in Pleasant Grove where he grew up. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s basically telling them, you don\u2019t have to go to Deep Ellum to see artwork. You don\u2019t need to go to the Oak Cliff Bishop Arts District to see artwork. Artwork is here in your community and you can go and check it out without having to drive miles and miles,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Ultimately, Branch is concerned about what the changes mean for the arts in the city. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to hurt Dallas a lot because we have [few] resources to begin with and as a starving artist, it just puts us more steps behind the rest of the world,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

An OAC representative said the office is collecting questions at OACGeneral@dallas.gov.<\/p>\n