TACA Doles Out $1 Million

Times might still be tough, but The Arts Community Alliance, better known as TACA, is distributing $1 million in grants to area performing arts organizations, and the awards were announced Jan. 30 at the Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

The awards ranged from $5,000 to $100,000 (the big three each got the latter: Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Opera and Dallas Symphony Orchestra), and more than 40 groups received something, including Lyric Stage, Second Theatre, Echo Theatre and Dallas Black Dance Theatre.

TACA also announced a New Works funding initiative. For more on that, go here.

Here's the official release, followed by the break-down of the awards:

Dallas' premier umbrella arts organization TACA, The Arts Community Alliance, distributed a fifth consecutive $1 million in grants to 41 diverse and deserving North Texas performing arts organizations.  The grants were distributed on January 30 at the annual TACA Grant Awards Presentation, held at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.

Jonathan Moscone, Artistic Director of California Shakespeare Theater and former Artistic Associate of the Dallas Theater Center is this year's special guest. Mr. Moscone was awarded the inaugural Zelda Fichandler Award by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation in 2009 for "transforming the American theatre through his unique and creative work."   When he was Associate Director for the Dallas Theater Center from 1993 to 1999, his credits include the Leon Rabin Award-wining production of How I learned to Drive, An Ideal Husband, Dancing at Lughnasa and several productions of A Christmas Carol that he co-adapted especially for the DTC. 

"We are so pleased to have met our goal," said Andrew Teller, Jr., Chairman of TACA's Board of Directors and Sr. Managing Partner, RBC Wealth Management.  "This accomplishment is indicative of the extraordinary commitment the many individuals, companies and foundations have toward our performing arts community."

"Hitting the $1 million mark five years running demonstrates that TACA and its supporters remain steadfast to the mission of sustaining a vibrant performing arts community for North Texas," Teller continued.

TACA's grants awarded this cycle will help support more than 4,874 performances that approximately 1.2 million people will attend.  Ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, TACA grants are being awarded to a varied group of North Texas' performing arts organizations, from the very large and established to the newly emerging. 

Also on this occasion, TACA announced a new grants opportunity, the TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund, which will make available up to $100,000 annually for three years, beginning this year, to support the creation of new work.

"I believe that Dallas is on the cusp of a remarkable renaissance and that the arts will play an important role," noted Donna Wilhelm.  "When we move the arts forward, we move Dallas forward, too."

"In the world of art," Wilhelm continued, " I envision new work as the metaphorical equivalent of the fountain of youth.  New work puts forth new ideas, inspires innovation, and leads to new ways of thinking and living."

Performing arts organizations who received TACA grants this funding cycle will be eligible to apply for a grant from the TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund. Applications will be available February 10.

2012 TACA Grant Award Recipients:

$5,000

• Arts District Chorale
• Dallas Festival of Modern Music
• ENVISO
• Garland Summer Musicals
• Irving Chorale
• Meadows School of the Arts, SMU
• One Thirty Productions Matinee Series
• Project X
• Turtle Creek Chorale

 $6,000

• African-American Repertory Theater
• Lone Star Wind Orchestra
• Teatro Dallas

$7,000

• Dallas Chamber Music Society
• Voices of Change

$8,000

• Cara Mia Theatre Company

$9,000

• Dallas Bach Society
• Sammons Jazz

$10,000

• Orchestra of New Spain
• Second Thought Theatre

$11,000

• Echo Theatre

$12,000

• Chamber Music International

$15,000

• Undermain Theatre

$16,000

• Uptown Players

$18,000

• Orpheus Chamber Singers
• Fine Arts Chamber Players

$20,000

• Kitchen Dog Theater

$27,000

• Junior Players

$30,000

• Children's Chorus of Greater Dallas
• Shakespeare Dallas
• TITAS

$34,000

• Dallas Wind Symphony

$35,000

• Lyric Stage
• Theatre Three

$36,000

• Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra

$40,000

• Texas Ballet Theater
• WaterTower Theatre

$60,000

• Dallas Black Dance Theatre

$70,000

• Dallas Children's Theater

$100,000

• Dallas Opera
• Dallas Symphony Orchestra
• Dallas Theater Center

Founded in 1966, TACA's (The Arts Community Alliance) mission is to provide financial support and services and to increase public awareness and participation in the performing arts of North Texas, which improve the quality of life for citizens of all economic, social and ethnic backgrounds.  Since its inception, TACA has distributed more than $20.3 million to emerging and established performing arts organizations with budgets as small as $27,000 to as large as $30 million.  Funds are raised through three signature events: the TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon, which honors one man and woman each year for outstanding volunteer support of the arts, TACA Party on the Green and the TACA Custom Auction Gala.  In addition, TACA receives strong support from its Board of Governors, Founders Circle and Corporate Council.  More information can be found at www.taca-arts.org or by calling 214-520-3930.