{"id":255512,"date":"2025-09-26T06:43:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T06:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/255512\/"},"modified":"2025-09-26T06:43:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T06:43:20","slug":"dallas-black-academy-of-arts-and-letters-will-start-moving-next-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/255512\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas\u2019 Black Academy of Arts and Letters will start moving next week"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Monday, the Black Academy of Arts and Letters will begin moving into its temporary home at The Women\u2019s Museum in Fair Park as it waits for renovations to be completed at The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. <\/p>\n

In July, TBAAL announced the proposed renovation plans to its home at Dallas\u2019 convention center, which are expected to be completed in 2028. The renovations will include upgrading the 70-year-old building\u2019s theatrical system, ADA accessibility and mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure. The facilities will also be expanded via a reconfiguration of the space.<\/p>\n

The academy will begin moving into the Women\u2019s Museum on Sept. 29. Until now, the museum has been vacant<\/a>. The museum opened its doors in 2000 and officially closed in 2011 due to a lack of funds.<\/p>\n

Curtis King, TBAAL founder and president, said the move is expected to take several weeks and will be another chapter in the institution\u2019s history. <\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s kind of frustrating in one sense, and it\u2019s exciting in the other sense and it is both simultaneously. So doing this, there are a lot of mixed emotions,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

King said TBAAL ultimately decided on moving to the museum after working with city officials and touring several other spaces in North Texas like the Dallas Theater Center. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt reminds me of a kind of a sanctuary. It\u2019s almost like a temple or something. When you go in, you see this beautiful open space and it has the spiral staircase on one side and so the energy was right for that,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

As TBAAL makes the transition, King said the academy will work on shifting its exhibitions materials and programming into the smaller space and new location. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to rethink our programs, trying to move our patrons\u2026to Fair Park and just having to make a lot of mental and emotional readjustments like understanding how the state fair works,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Originally designed by architect Arthur T. Bolten, the Women\u2019s Museum was constructed in 1910 and was used for livestock auctions by day and musical theater performances at night. To prepare for TBAAL\u2019s move, King said the building\u2019s infrastructure has been updated. <\/p>\n

King founded TBAAL in 1977 after being inspired by New York\u2019s Black Academy of Arts and Letters when he was a graduate student at Texas Christian University. <\/p>\n

For decades, TBAAL has promoted Black arts and culture. The academy hosts an annual Labor Day Weekend Riverfront Jazz Festival, offers shows throughout the year which have featured performers like Dave Chappelle and Erykah Badu, and provides a K-12 summer youth arts institute. <\/p>\n

The academy plans to host an opening reception and exhibition to welcome visitors into the new space around Nov. 1. <\/p>\n