Following the Fort Worth Arts Scene

With the rise of artist collectives across North Texas, the region has become a creative hub for emerging and established artists. Dallas, Denton, and Fair Park have all been at the forefront of this artistic energy, but the arts scene has begun shifting west to the Fort Worth community. Diversity in art and culture has driven the development of art enclaves, such as Art Tooth, Fwblackhouse, and Fort Works Art. Explore Fort Worth’s arts scene and discover the cultural identity that defines the arts in Fort Worth.

The Amon Carter Museum of American Art Commits to Community Artists Program

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American creativity in all its diverse, nuanced forms comprises the collection and exhibition spaces of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth. Amon Carter collects and exhibits the best works of American creativity that span the centuries, from the 18th century to contemporary works, in all media, including sculptures, photographs, and works on paper.

In 2018, the museum announced the creation of the Carter Community Artists program. With a mission of working with and supporting local artists, the program seeks to create opportunities for the North Texas community to engage with the museum’s collection of art and artists throughout the region. Each year, four artists from the community collaborate with museum staff to plan and lead on-site, off-site, and digital programs for adults and children.

Since art education is a signature element of the program, the artists themselves also concentrate on developing after-school, home-school, and summer arts enrichment programs; teacher workshops; and segments for the museum’s distance-learning program.

The Arts Council of Fort Worth Nurtures Diversity Through Creativity

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Since its inception, the Arts Council of Fort Worth has nurtured, promoted, and supported the arts in the Fort Worth community. The nonprofit organization manages the Fort Worth Public Art program and the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. Additionally, the Arts Council distributes funding for grants to support local arts organizations in the community.

The Fort Worth Public Art program, established in 2001, has created a collection of more than 100 acquired, commissioned, and donated works of art throughout Fort Worth. The City of Fort Worth selects each piece of art for installation in Fort Worth. To explore all the works of art created and their locations in Fort Worth, visit the Fort Worth Public Art program’s website.

Located at 1300 Gendy St. in Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Community Arts Center offers public space for events, visual programs, and the performing arts. Throughout the year, the Community Arts Center hosts exhibitions featuring the work of Fort Worth’s artists. A Boxed Lunch Interview Series allows the community to meet and hear from diverse Fort Worth artists in an informal setting.

The Arts Council of Fort Worth also administers the Texas Artists Coalition. This membership-driven program supports the career development of emerging and established artists in the North Texas region. The Art Aid Expo, an annual program developed for artists and creative professionals, offers support for individuals seeking to sustain a living through the arts.

Comunidad 27 Commits to Social Practice Work Through Art

Among the social practice initiatives underway in North Texas, Comunidad 27 brings people together from diverse cultural, ethnic, and social groups to create a safer, more engaged neighborhood for all people. Founded in 2005, Comunidad 27 has focused its work on crime prevention efforts, block parties in the form of National Night Out programs, and environmental beautification through tree planting and public gardens.

Art remains an integral part of the social practice work of Comunidad 27. Fort Worth artist Arnoldo Hurtado is one example of an individual using creativity and culture to uplift his Northside home neighborhood. Hurtado has led efforts to create public art installations that invite members of the Northside community to create works of art that celebrate culture and diversity.

You can see an example of this community-supported art with the mural painted on the side of Franko’s Market grocery store. This mural represents the collaboration of a team of artists who came together through brushes and paint to transform a blank wall into a statement of unity and community pride.

Latino Hustle Focuses on Latinx Artist Awareness

Founded in 2016, Latino Hustle is an artist collective of Latinx artists whose purpose is to raise awareness for Latinx artists and merchants in the Fort Worth community. Co-founders Raul Rodriguez, Jessika Guillen, and Gerardo Contreras have paid considerable attention to the emerging artists representing the Latino culture and Fort Worth. Their curated art shows and markets aim to showcase artists’ work in all forms that encompass a range of artistic media.

Among recent examples of Latino Hustle’s cultural arts initiatives, its 2019 Día de Los Muertos exhibition at Fwblackhouse offered a dynamic presentation. The organization invited Fort Worth community members to discover the holiday’s traditions while celebrating the region’s rich Latinx history and heritage through art.

Mañanaland Invites Self-Expression Through Art

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Organized by artist and curator Michelle Kirk, Mañanaland is Fort Worth’s social practice project. With a focus on art education and events, Mañanaland serves as an incubator of creativity for Fort Worth’s artist community. This progressive art gallery, housed inside an army warehouse that dates from the World War II era, invites new and nontraditional artists’ contributions.

As Kirk explained in a 2018 Fort Worth Weekly article, Mañanaland emphasizes that art is for everyone. “Our ethos is radical inclusion, radical self-expression, and radical self-acceptance,” she says. “Because art is for everyone, it should be accessible to everyone. It should include diverse points of view.”

These diverse points of view are at the heart of Mañanaland’s efforts in the area of social practice art. This socially progressive form of art emphasizes community contributions to creating art and uses art as a self-expression tool.

The Fort Worth arts scene welcomes established and emerging artists’ talents to shape a more creative, inclusive community. Their artistic works come together to create a continuing conversation about art and life in North Texas.

No matter where your travels to discover the region’s art take you, you’ll enjoy the journey behind the wheel of a new or preowned Hyundai vehicle from Hiley Hyundai of Fort Worth. Visit our dealership showroom today to browse our current inventory or call us at 817-367-4000.