Say what you want about the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, its pending opening does seem to have brought more attention to the once-hinterlands on the west side of the Trinity River. Last week, The Dallas Contemporary brought street artist Shepard Fairey to town. This week, another plan in the works via the Ft. Worth Ave. Development Group. Artist/Magnolia Gallery curator/the Belmont Hotel’s Scott Horn sends word that the group is seeking submissions from an artist or team of artists to ..read more

Remember that proposed public art project for White Rock Lake? An artist has been chosen for the project, and there will be a public meeting/meet and greet this coming Monday, February 6 at 6 p.m. at the Bath House Culture Center to discuss the proposal. The artist is Brower Hatcher, a public art veteran, who heads up Mid-Ocean Studio. To get a sense of what Hatcher might bring to White Rock, you can check out some of his other projects ..read more

Haven’t heard of the Dallas studio A Little Artsy? Well now you have, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t attend one of artist/blogger Casey Wiegand’s adult art night classes…or sign your kiddo up for one of her day camps, or host a corporate gig inside the studio.

The interior of the studio is a hodge-podge of paint, canvases, twinkling lights and inspiration perfectly suited for girlfriend get-togethers and date nights alike. Studio owner Casey will guide you through the painting process—she ..read more

The Arts Community Alliance, or TACA, announced yesterday that they will award $1 million worth of grants to local performing arts groups in 2012, including 41 total recipients. The awards range from large $100,000 gifts to groups like the Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony, and Dallas Theater Center, to smaller awards to seven new recipients, such as the African American Repertory Theater, Arts District Chorale, Dallas Festival of Modern Music, and others.

Here’s a full release with a complete list of recipients:

TACA’s ..read more

In May 2011, a number of area students participating in SMU’s Summer Youth Program undertook a project sponsored by The Trinity Trust to learn about the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, by constructing a replica of the bridge. Their efforts were captured in a short documentary film, which will be screened twice tonight at The Texas Theater. Below you’ll find a trailer for documentary, as well as more information about the program, which will include ..read more

During the opening of the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier at the Dallas Museum of Art, the CBS show, Sunday Morning, filmed an interview with the famed French designer at the museum. That piece will finally air this week, as the exhibition readies to enter its final month. You can preview the interview below.

If you missed last night’s Golden Globe Awards, you can see all of the nominees and winners here. Big winners on the movies side of things included The Descendents (best motion picture drama, best actor in a motion picture) and The Artist (best motion picture comedy/musical, best actor in a motion picture comedy/musical), while Homeland scored two wins for television (best television series and best actress, Claire Danes).

But the real question: did host Ricky Gervais zip any zingers on par with last year’s Scientology one liner? You can watch the monologue below:

As we discussed last week, The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge will open this coming March. The Trinity Trust is staging a celebration on the bridge that will surely be packed with local dignitaries and patrons. But the West Dallas Chamber of Commerce is also staging a community festival to celebrate the bridge opening: The Bridge-o-Rama. Bridge-o-Rama will feature a world music stage, a performance by West Dallas’ own The Relatives, a Parade of Giants celebrating notable West Dallas residents (from Sarah Cockrell to Bonnie and Clyde), and more. The events will take place from March 2 – 4. Here’s the website with more information.

Grumble grumble. The Dallas Fort Worth Film Critics Association, of which I am a voting member, has released its list of the top movies, actors, etc. of 2011, and the final list couldn’t look more different than the ballot I submitted. Top picks include The Descendants as best picture and Alexander Payne as best director, both of whom don’t crack my top ten. Best actor goes to George Clooney for The Descendants. Again. Bah. Listen, I liked The Descendants just ..read more

We have a couple of programming notes this morning. I’ll be on WRR today around noon chatting about the new edition of D Magazine as well as various goings on around town this weekend. Also, on Monday be sure to tune in to Good Morning Texas where I will be running down my list of the top five worst holiday movies ever. My inclination is to say all but eight or nine holiday movies are horrendous, but the GMT spot has ..read more

We thought Jaime Foxx was making his way back to Texas this week (and we had tickets to giveaway), but now comes word that the actor and musician has pulled out of his Winspear appearance. If you are the type of person who immediately wants to find someone to blame, then turn your gaze to Mr. Quentin Tarantino. Foxx is playing the title character in an upcoming movie by the director, Django Unchained, work on which has purported required his ..read more

UPDATE: Apologies, but we just got word that the Jamie Foxx show has been canceled. 

Who is Eric Bishop? Jamie Foxx answers that question and shares other stories he’s gathered as an actor, singer-songwriter and stand-up comedian in almost two decades at the Winspear Opera House on December 1st. We have two tickets to giveaway, to get your hands on them all you have to do is answer the question in the from below: Foxx was born and raised a Texas ..read more

His name is Lee Papert, one that should be familiar to Dallas arts and culture watchers as he has spent time as head of the Arts District Friends, director of development for the Dallas Wind Symphony, and serving on the board of the Dallas Architecture Foundation, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, Booker T Washington High School, and more. He was most recently the Trinity River and Dogwood Canyon Audubon Centers’ director of marketing and development. Here’s the full release and bio.

DallasvFILM ..read more

If you’ve spent any time at the Texas Theater, then you know the special place that the film Repo Man has in the hearts of the guys who run Aviation Cinemas, the theater’s operating group. There will undoubtedly be some fan boy swooning, then, as the director of the 1980s cult classic — with one of the best movie soundtracks, well, ever — will appear at the Oak Cliff theater for two nights on December 1st and 2nd. Alex Cox will attend screenings of three of his films, beginning with an original 35 mm print of Walker (1988) on Thursday, and a double feature of Highway Patrolman (1991) (on a restored 35 mm print, no less) and Straight to Hell Returns (1987) on Friday. Both screenings will be followed by Q&A’s with the director.

Image: Still from Highway Patrolman.

The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, founded in 1980, will celebrate its 30^th anniversary this week with a three day conference entitled Longing For Beauty. The conference will focus on three areas that the Institute has focused its work and attention over the past three decades, Spiritual and Archetypal Psychology, Publications, and the Center for the City, which focuses on urban design and cultural life. Here are all the details.

The USA Film Festival will be screening five of director Alexander Payne’s films at the Angelika Film Center leading up to the release of his much anticipated George Clooney-staring The Descendants. Tonight, you can catch Citizen Ruth, followed tomorrow by the great (and maybe my favorite Payne movie) Election. Wednesday brings About Schmidt, and on Thursday, Sideways will screen. Finally, a week from today, you can see The Descendants in a preview screening. All the screenings are free for USA Film Festival members, and $6 for everyone else (except for The Descendants preview, which is free for all).

Here’s more info.

The crew behind the Texas Theater announced the creation of a new film festival today, the Oak Cliff Film Festival, which will take place from June 14-17, 2012. Venues will include the Texas Theater (of course), the Kessler Theater, TeCo Theater, and the Belmont Hotel. So what will set the OCFF apart besides the venues? The Aviation Cinema crew says the “Oak Cliff Film Festival will seek to  showcase “brave and independent filmmaking of all stripes” from Oak Cliff, Dallas, Denton, Austin, and Fort Worth as well as nationally and internationally.” More specifically, former Fantastic Fest programmig coordinator Blake Ethridge says the fest will gather the best movies from “Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Austin Film Festival, Sitges, SXSW, Sundance, New York and more.”

Here’s the full release.

Aviation Cinemas, Inc. Announces:

The Oak Cliff Film Festival

DALLAS, TX (Nov 1, 2011) — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aviation Cinemas, Inc. (Operating Company at the Texas Theatre) proudly announces the Inaugural Oak Cliff Film Festival, taking place at the Historic Texas Theatre, the Kessler Theater, the Bishop Arts “TeCo” Theater (formerly the Bluebird Theater), and the Belmont Hotel during the week of June 14-17^th, 2012 (details at www.FilmOakCliff.com).

The film festival will feature the very best of Oak Cliff’s theater venues as well as highlight the popular restaurants and bars of the burgeoning Bishop Arts District. Led by the Aviation Cinemas team who took over operations at the Texas Theatre in December of 2010, the Oak Cliff Film Festival will seek to  showcase “brave and independent filmmaking of all stripes” from Oak Cliff, Dallas, Denton, Austin, and Fort Worth as well as nationally and internationally. The assembled team for the festival includes Aviation Cinemas, Inc. Partners Adam Donaghey, Barak Epstein, Jason Reimer, and Eric Steele, Festival Coordinator Carla Tschosik, Interactive Marketing Director Micah Phillips, Corporate Events Outreach Specialist Chris Gardner and Festival Consultant Blake Ethridge.

Programming will be led by the Aviation Cinemas team, along with a programming committee comprised of filmmakers and festival programmers from all over the world, including Blake Ethridge. Ethridge, former Festival Programmer for Austin’s Fantastic Fest, will consult on programming and acquisition efforts for the film festival. “Our programming team is already active in scouring the world for the best cinema from attendingCannes,Berlin,Rotterdam, Austin Film Festival, Sitges, SXSW,Sundance,New York and more,” said Ethridge. “Dallas has long been a beacon of cinema history. We know this town and Oak Cliff will provide us with a great film-going audience where new history and legendary screenings will happen.”

The Festival is backed by the 501c Oak Cliff Foundation who purchased the Texas Theatre in 2001. “Energizing the Texas Theatre and re-establishing its role as a centerpiece of the Oak Cliff community are central to the mission of the Oak Cliff Foundation,” said Monte Anderson, Chairman of the Oak Cliff Foundation. “To that end, Aviation Cinemas has made huge strides in the last year through creativity, dogged determination, and hard work in making a name for the theatre with local and national filmmakers and film-lovers alike.  The Oak Cliff Film Festival has the potential to solidify these achievements and to further establish the theatre’s significance to Oak Cliff and the film community at large.” As well as supporting national and international independent films, the Oak Cliff Film Festival will also feature a community and local student film competition.

The Festival is actively accepting corporate sponsors who share the mission and view of the festival. These sponsors will join local sponsors, including the Belmont Hotel, Bolsa, Eno’s, Oddfellows, Mesa, and the Oak Cliff Bicycle Company. “We are reviewing sponsorship partners with new and exciting brands who are, in some cases, new toDallas or are launching a new product or service” said Eric Steele, Aviation Cinemas Partner and OCFF Sponsorship Director. “Our goal is to be brazen and original all the way – from the films we show, the parties we throw, and the sponsors we highlight. We have some pretty cool announcements forthcoming.”

###

Background on the Texas Theatre / Aviation Cinemas, Inc:

On August 31st, 2010, Aviation Cinemas, Inc., a company formed by filmmaker and film industry consultant Barak Epstein took over the lease of the Texas Theatre. Epstein enlisted the help of filmmakers Adam Donaghey, Jason Reimer, and Eric Steele to begin new cinema and event venue operations at the Texas Theatre. The Texas Theatre is operated by Aviation Cinemas, Inc. and is open seven days a week, currently booking independent films, concerts, theater programs, parties, and events.

“Best Movie Theater in Dallas – The Texas Theatre” – Dallas Observer, 2011

“Best Film Advocates – Aviation Cinemas Inc” – Dallas Observer, 2011

In 2001 The Oak Cliff Foundation purchased the Texas Theatre and began looking for a new permanent tenant. Several areas of the building were renovated and upgraded by the OCF. The Texas Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The Missionof the Oak Cliff Foundation is to “ensure the viability of the Texas Theatre.”

PRESS AND SPONSORSHIP CONTACT:

Eric Steele

Partner, Chief Sales Officer

Aviation Cinemas, Inc.

eric@aviationcinemas.com

CORPORATE CONTACT:

Barak Epstein

Partner, Chief Executive Officer

Aviation Cinemas, Inc.

barak@aviationcinemas.com

PROGRAMMING / CREATIVE CONTACT:

Jason Reimer

Partner, Creative Director

Aviation Cinemas, Inc.

jason@aviationcinemas.com

FILMMAKER LIASON CONTACT:

Adam Donaghey

Partner, Vice President

Aviation Cinemas, Inc.

adam@aviationcinemas.com

The Dallas Film Society and TXU Energy are teaming up again for a student film competition that challenges high school and college students to create films about energy and energy conservation. Winners win cash, video editing software, and some other perks courtesy of the Dallas International Film Festival. The submission period begins today, October 31, and continues through February 12. Here’s more info.

As in politics, so in the arts: the president and CEO of the Dallas Film Society, Tanya Foster, has decided to step down in order to spend more time with her family, which is good work if you can get it. In the meantime, the organization that puts on the annual Dallas International Film Festival is looking for a new chief. As of 3:05 p.m., the head hunters have not left any messages on my cell phone. But, hey, you never know. Here’s the full release:

Dallas FILM SOCIETY Initiates Search for New President/CEO

Dallas, October 18, 2011: The DALLAS Film Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that celebrates films and their impact on society, has initiated a search for a new head of the organization to replace current President and CEO Tanya Foster, who announced this week she is resigning in order to spend more time with her family.

“I treasure the time I have spent at the helm of the DALLAS Film Society over the past two years.  Our accomplishments during my tenure have exceeded my expectations, and it has been such an honor to work with the talented and dedicated staff, board, and volunteers,” said Foster.  “Now that the organization is operating successfully as we envisioned when I joined, I am ready to enjoy spending precious time with my family.  My plan is to participate in the executive search and to continue in my position until my successor is in place.”

Since Foster assumed her position in December 2009, the DALLAS Film Society has annually raised $1.5 million in revenue and negotiated more than $3 million in in-kind donations and services in support of the year-round programs of the Society and the annual DALLAS International Film Festival.  Foster has been responsible for revamping key support groups within the organization, including launching a membership program that now numbers 616 members and is responsible for nearly $50,000 in revenues, an Advisory Council that will soon reach its capacity of 100 nominated members, and a full 21-member Board of Directors.

Foster served as Executive Director for the 2010 and 2011 DALLAS International Film Festivals, which together showcased 153 features and 191 shorts for a total of 344 films from 27 countries.

“We are very grateful to Tanya Foster for the best practices and leadership she has brought to the operations of the DALLAS Film Society,” said Lynn McBee, Chairman of the Board of Directors.  “She will be leaving this organization with a firm foundation, and we are especially pleased she will be involved in the search for her successor.”

The DALLAS Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society.  A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the DALLAS Film Society recognizes and honors filmmakers for their achievements in enhancing the creative community, provides educational programs to students to develop better understanding of the role of film in today’s world, and promotes the City of Dallas and its commitment to the art of filmmaking. The annual DALLAS International Film Festival, scheduled for April 12-22, 2012, is a presentation of the DALLAS Film Society. In addition to producing one of the largest festivals in the Southwest, the Society produces numerous year round events, screening series and partnership programs with arts organizations around the city.  For more information, call (214) 720-0555, or visit www.dallasfilm.org.  The offices of the DALLAS Film Society are located at 3625 North Hall Street, Suite 740, Dallas, TX 75219.

The Dallas Film Society’s annual The Art of Film fundraiser will feature a sit-down conversation between John Lithgow and critic Elvis Mitchell on November 18 at the Hall of State in Fair Park. Lithgow’s star stock has been on the rise of late thanks to appearances in Dexter and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Also, 2012 will mark Lithgow’s 40th year in the business. Here’s more on the event.

The DALLAS Film Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that celebrates ..read more

A few weeks ago, we heard that the Kimbell Art Museum had acquired a significant work by the artist Nicolas Poussin. Sacrament of Ordination (Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter) was housed at the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London. The Fort Worth museum bought the work for a hefty $24.3 million from the private collection of the Dukes of Rutland at Belvoir Castle, which held the work for 200 more than years.

The Dallas Morning News’ Michael Granberry was in London to see the work before it began its trip to its new home in the gateway to the west. Granberry explains that the painting was one of seven sacramental works made by the  painter made between 1637 and 1642.

One of the seven was destroyed by fire in 1816. A second was sold in 1939 and ended up in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1963. The third left England, where the collection had resided since 1785, and finished its 24-hour journey to Cowtown late on the night of Aug. 30.

And you can now see the work at the Kimbell for free.

Image: Nicolas Poussin’s Sacrament of Ordination (Christ Presenting the Keys to Saint Peter) (detail)

Yesterday morning the Dallas city council voted to approve an amendment to the city budget which will provide an additional $489,669 in funding to the city’s Office of Cultural Affairs. In addition to the the new OCA money, the amendment will provide additional financing to parks, libraries, and other city services, as well as stave off the threat of an additional furlough day for Dallas city employees.

The budgeted funds were made available by an increase in projected revenues from electric franchise fees and building use fees from the Parks and Recreation Department.

According to the amendment, the OCA funds will be directed towards cultural programming, the Community Artist Program, financial support for the AT&T Performing Arts Center, and programming at the Latino Cultural Center. Here are additional details.

Photo via.

According the DMNCuts blog, the Dallas Morning News‘ latest round of layoffs have claimed another critic from their dwindling staff. We are sure to find out who in the coming days, but a friend at the News assures me it is a name we will all know and recognize.

In short, this is all very depressing. The level of the latest cuts combined with a stagnation in innovation and product investment; the pay-wall model, which seems  intent on jettisoning the News’ wider civic role for a more niche service of dubious economic and social value: if you could never imagine your city without a daily newspaper, at least try imagining your city with a daily that has managed itself into irrelevancy. We’re not that far off.

It has almost been three years since the opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center (jeez), and to celebrate, the Arts District is bringing back (thankfully) its Art in October festivities. Via a release that dropped in the inbox this morning, here are the latest details on what you can expect from the event. Highlights include lots of free admission days, the AURORA art installation, and a lots of outdoor activities. And that’s good news, because after the summer we just had, I’d like to get reacquainted with fresh air. More:

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You can’t spend too much time banging around the local art world without bumping into Nicole Horn. Co-curator of the Magnolia Gallery with her husband, artist Scott Horn, Nicole Horn has been involved in a host of local art organizations, most notably Art Conspiracy, La Reunion TX, bigBANG!, and more.

In her spare time, Horn is an interior designer, and that aspect of her deep pool of talents is going to step into the spotlight tomorrow, Wednesday, August 31, as Horn appears on NBC to help Dwell with Dignity makeover an apartment for a Dallas family in need. Be sure to catch it. Here are all the details:

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