Inaugural Board Meeting Features Performance Art During Memorable Video Launch
The DeSoto Texas Cultural Arts Foundation held its inaugural board meeting Monday evening, August 7th, and broadcast the meeting along with a highly creative launch ceremony featuring performance art by several members of the DeSoto Artist Lab Residency Program. You can view this broadcast on the City of DeSoto’s Facebook Page.
Monday’s meeting marked the culmination of a process that started in earnest during the Summer of 2019 when work began on the creation of a Cultural Arts Masterplan and, most recently, was aided by DeSoto City Council which approved the new foundation and dissolved the two former boards (DeSoto Arts Commission and the DeSoto Texas Historical Foundation) that were folded into the DeSoto Texas Cultural Arts Foundation.
“Tonight’s inaugural meeting marks the beginning of a new era for the Arts in DeSoto and we fully believe that the incredible mosaic of talented people that we have assembled will take our arts scene to the next level and make DeSoto the very epicenter of the arts in the Best Southwest Region!” said James D. Adams, who had been the President of the DeSoto Arts Commission but who joins the new foundation as its President.
The Board’s new Vice President, is Marikay Dewberry, a well-known civic leader who served DeSoto in numerous important capacities including her time as President of the DeSoto Historical Foundation. Dewberry has lived in DeSoto for more than half of a century and is considered one of the foremost experts on the City’s history.
“The incredible character and creativity of DeSoto today is based on the people and institutions that helped to shape our City and bring us to this point in time. We owe it to our future to preserve their stories and contributions. It’s tough to know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been.”
President Adams and Vice President Dewberry are tentatively scheduled to discuss the new DeSoto Texas Cultural Arts Foundation in greater detail when they join DeSoto’s Communications Manager Matt Smith on Thursday afternoon at 3 PM to take part in DeSoto’s weekly news and information broadcast “DeSoto: In-Depth.” You can view this broadcast live on our Facebook Page, Spectrum (Ch 16), AT&T Uverse (Ch 99), or at www.desototexas.gov/desototownhall.
The formation of the DeSoto Texas Cultural Arts Foundation is a direct result of the Cultural Arts Masterplan spearheaded by the Arts Commission. The seven-member City-Council-appointed body oversaw the Cultural Arts Grant process and made recommendations to the City Council. Over the span of about eighteen months (August 2019-October 2020), the DeSoto Arts Commission guided a planning process to discover opportunities for further development of the arts in DeSoto. The Commission worked diligently to build a stronger arts and cultural sector for DeSoto by envisioning opportunities to embed creativity into the city’s comprehensive plan and across other city departments. Throughout the planning period, the Commission focused on the idea of collaboration as a key lever for boosting public participation in the arts.
As of Monday evening, the DeSoto Texas Cultural Arts Foundation became fully empowered to pursue its mission of fostering a vibrant arts scene that embraces diversity and innovation. Through grants, scholarships, engaging events, and collaborative efforts, the Foundation is determined to create an environment where the arts can thrive, and DeSoto’s history comes alive, enriching the lives of residents and visitors alike.
As the Foundation begins its journey, it invites all members of the community, businesses, and art enthusiasts to join in its vision. Together, we can build a stronger, more connected arts community, ensuring a brighter and culturally enriched future for DeSoto.
You can view the Foundation’s inaugural meeting as well as its televised launch which includes live performances by the DeSoto Artist Lab Residency Program artists on our Facebook Page.
