Dallas strikes balance between fine arts and street arts, says ArtPlace president

Carol Coletta visited Deep Ellum Wednesday as part of a cross-country tour of the nation's top 12 arts districts.

Photo by Alexandra Olivia

Carol Coletta, director of ArtPlace, visits Kettle Art gallery for the America's Top 12 ArtPlaces 2013 Deep Ellum tour on February 13, 2013.

DEEP ELLUM — The president of ArtPlace, Carol Coletta, ventured to Deep Ellum Wednesday morning to visit the arts district that her organization named one of the top 12 in the country.

ArtPlace, a collective of national and regional foundations, agencies, and banks, released a report in January that said Dallas, along with 11 other cities, “successfully combined the arts, artists, and venues for creativity and expression with independent businesses, restaurants, and a walkable lifestyle to make vibrant neighborhoods.”

Before taking a walk around the city, Sean Fitzgerald, president of the Deep Ellum Community Association, told Coletta about the history of Deep Ellum inside Kettle Art gallery. (Of note, Kettle Art is closing soon.) Neighborhood residents and activists in attendance told a brief testimony of their experiences in Deep Ellum.

Photo by Alexandra Olivia

President of Deep Ellum Community Association Sean Fitzgerald and Director of ArtPlace Carol Coletta discuss the evolution of Deep Ellum.

The tour hit several Deep Ellum landmarks including trio of The Traveling Man sculptures, the DART Green Line mural corridor, Deep Ellum Urban Gardens, and Murray Street Coffee Shop. The group then saw the Winspear Opera House, Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, and Trammell Crow Collection of Asian Art.

Though Coletta had previously visited Dallas, she admitted never being able to grasp the personality of the city. After reading the results of the ArtPlace study and receiving a first-hand look, she pinpointed Dallas’ uniqueness in its dual approach to arts — catering to both independent artists and more mainstream culture.

“What I find interesting is this balance of high and low, profit and not-for-profit, top and bottom between the fine arts and street arts,” Coletta said. “That’s what is really special.”