FORT WORTH, Texas — Arts Fort Worth, the nonprofit that has managed the Fort Worth Community Arts Center at 1300 Gendy Street for over 20 years, will vacate the property amid uncertainty over the building's fate.
Arts Fort Worth provided artists and performers with galleries, offices, theaters, and studios at the community arts center, becoming a home for thousands of artists, according to a press release from Arts Fort Worth. The nonprofit manages the building and its other tenants.
Arts Fort Worth will begin suspending programs at the Community Arts Center on Aug. 1, including Artist talks and Art Aid workshops, according to a timeline provided by Arts Fort Worth. Tenants have until April 2025 to move out of the building. Public galleries will close to the public on Dec. 31, 2024. Currently, eight tenants use the Community Arts Center, including:
- Arts Fort Worth
- Caminos del Inka
- KWC Performing Arts
- Q Cinema
- Stolen Shakespeare Guild
- Texas Institute of Orchestral Studies
- Texas Network of Theatres
- Thank You Darlin' Foundation
The City of Fort Worth owns the building at 1300 Gendy Street, and Arts Fort Worth leases the property. A 2022 report found that the building needs $26 million in repairs. Under the lease, Arts Fort Worth is financially responsible for improvements to the building, according to reporting from the Fort Worth Report.
"Ultimately, repairing, maintaining, and managing this important 77,000 square foot public facility presented a significant challenge, and the cost of continuing its operations is now unsustainable," the press release reads.
The city recently began the process of finding a developer to renovate and redesign the site, however, the city rejected the two finalists' plans for the site in May.
Despite this shift, the organization will continue operating and supporting the Fort Worth arts community, the release states. Arts Fort Worth will keep providing grants and "meeting the evolving needs of the community," the release reads. The organization will also host its Heart of Gold awards and introduce its first-ever local arts summit in 2025.
“While changes like this can feel surprising and concerning, Arts Fort Worth isn’t turning its back on the local arts community. We will focus on leading the growth of our arts ecosystem into an even more accessible, sustainable, and vibrant future,” said Wesley Gentle, executive director and president of Arts Fort Worth.
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