Officials with TACA announced today (Wednesday, June 10) that 50 arts organizations across Dallas County — including Uptown Players, Turtle Creek Chorale, TITAS Unbound and Bruce Wood Dance — will receive a total of $650,000 through TACA’s 2026 Catalyst Grants program, “continuing the organization’s long-standing commitment to investing in the strength, sustainability and vibrancy of North Texas’ arts community,” according to a press release from TACA.
Catalyst Grants provide unrestricted operating support, “giving arts organizations the flexibility to direct resources where they are needed most: from artistic programming and audience development to staffing, infrastructure and long-term sustainability,” the press release explained. “The funding reflects TACA’s belief that strong arts organizations are essential to a thriving Dallas.”
Maura Sheffler, the Donna Wilhelm Family president and executive director of TACA, said, “Arts organizations continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience, creativity and impact in
communities across Dallas County. Catalyst Grants are designed to meet organizations where they are and provide the flexibility they need to respond to challenges, seize opportunities and continue enriching the lives of North Texans through the arts.
“When we invest in arts organizations, we invest in the cultural, social and economic vitality of our entire region,” Sheffler said.
Since 1967 when it was founded, TACA has invested more than $32 million in general operating support for arts organizations, “helping cultivate one of the nation’s most dynamic cultural communities,” the press release noted. “Catalyst Grants remain a cornerstone of that commitment, complementing programs such as the TACA New Works Fund, Arts Accelerator, Amplifier Workshops and other initiatives designed to strengthen the sector.
The impact of Catalyst Grants can be seen “throughout the arts ecosystem, from long-established cultural institutions to emerging organizations building new pathways for creative expression,” according to the press release.
Jeff Rane, founder and executive director of Uptown Players said that “TACA’s unwavering support has allowed us to keep our stage vibrant as a true sanctuary for LGBTQ+ storytelling. In today’s challenging funding climate, these unrestricted funds are essential to keeping our production values high and empowering us to uplift diverse new voices, employ local artists and bring people together when visibility matters most.”
For newer organizations, the grants represent both critical support and recognition within the broader arts community. Ana Parada, founder of Representa, another of the grant recipients, said, “After six years of work and graduating from the TACA Arts Accelerator program last year, we feel recognized and seen as a part of the greater arts community with this grant. Thank you, TACA, for your support.”
The 2026 Catalyst Grants were “made possible through the generosity of TACA’s donors,
foundations, sponsors and community supporters who share a belief in the power of the arts to inspire, connect and strengthen communities,” Sheffler said. “Our arts organizations create experiences that help us understand one another, celebrate our differences and imagine new possibilities.
“Through Catalyst Grants, we are not only supporting individual organizations — we are helping ensure that Dallas remains a place where creativity can flourish for generations to come,” she added.
Check the TACA website for more information about the 2026 grant recipients, all of whom are listed below:
Arts Mission Oak Cliff
Artstillery
AT&T Performing Arts Center
Avant Chamber Ballet
Basically Beethoven
Big Heart Theater (new Catalyst Grant awardee)
Bishop Arts Theatre Center
Bombshell Dance Project
Broadway Dallas
Bruce Wood Dance Dallas
Cara Mía Theatre
Dallas Chamber Symphony
Dallas Children’s Theater
Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas Opera
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Theater Center
Dallas Winds
Deep Vellum Publishing
Echo Theatre
Greater Dallas Choral Society
Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra
Junior Players
Kitchen Dog Theater Company
Lone Star Wind Orchestra
Nasher Sculpture Center
New Texas Symphony Orchestra
Orpheus Chamber Singers
OutLoud Dallas
Over the Bridge Arts
Pegasus Contemporary Ballet
Prism Movement Theater
Representa (new Catalyst Grant awardee)
Sammons Center for the Arts
Second Thought Theatre
Shakespeare Dallas
Soul Rep Theatre Company
Teatro Dallas
Texas Ballet Theater
Texas Winds Musical OutreachThe Cedars Union
The Women’s Chorus of Dallas
The Writer’s Garret
Theatre Three
TITAS/Dance Unbound
Turtle Creek Chorale
Undermain Theatre
Uptown Players
Urban Arts Collective (new Catalyst Grant awardee)
Verdigris Ensemble
About TACA:
“TACA is the only nonprofit that provides both funding and training to Dallas arts organizations. TACA invests in the vibrancy and resilience of a diverse Dallas arts community and envisions a thriving arts landscape that is celebrated and accessible to everyone.
“For nearly 60 years, TACA has been dedicated to making North Texas’ arts community one of the strongest in the nation. We invest in 55 arts organizations of all shapes and sizes to support an arts community brimming with cultures and stories, that cares about the health and well-being of Dallas citizens, and is building a sustainable future for our creative community — all to ensure that North Texas remains a vibrant place to live, work and play.
For more information visit the TACA website or connect with TACA on Facebook.
— Tammye Nash
