The AT&T Performing Arts Center and the Dallas Theater Center have revealed preliminary plans to combine their operations, creating a single organizational structure for two of North Texas’s leading cultural institutions. The move is designed to address economic pressures and systemic shifts affecting the performing arts sector nationwide.
Under the proposed arrangement, administrative functions such as finance, marketing, fundraising, and ticketing will be consolidated under the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Despite this operational integration, both groups intend to maintain their separate artistic programming, preserving the distinct identities that have established them as staples of the Dallas Arts District.
Warren Tranquada, president and chief executive officer of AT&T Performing Arts Center, will lead the unified entity. He described the performing arts industry as undergoing significant change across the country. Tranquada stated that the merger is a proactive effort to establish a new artistic and business model, aiming to ensure strength and sustainability for the region and potentially beyond.
Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson expressed support for the initiative. He characterized the merger as a bold step that distinguishes Dallas as a leader in cultural change. Johnson noted that the partnership helps ensure the Arts District continues to serve as an economic, cultural, and tourism driver for Downtown.
A key component of the partnership involves expanding educational and community outreach. By combining resources from the Dallas Theater Center’s Project Discovery with AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Open Stages and Backstage Spotlight programs, leaders plan to scale up youth access to the arts. The long-term objective is to integrate live theater into the formal education of every student in North Texas.
