City's review of arts and culture funding following halt to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives and policies in Dallas
In a recent turn of events, the Dallas City Council's decision to halt programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has put funding for North Texas arts groups and organisations in jeopardy. This policy change, driven by concerns over potential loss of up to $300 million in federal funding, has particularly affected those whose grants rely on programs considering race, gender, or ethnicity.
City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert ordered an immediate stop to policies and programs that use demographic factors in funding allocation, including those supporting minority and women-owned businesses as well as racial equity plans. This includes grants managed by the Office of Arts & Culture, affecting arts groups that benefited from these diversity-driven initiatives.
To address community concerns and gather input, Dallas scheduled multiple public forums in late August and September 2025, aiming to revise and realign these programs while maintaining investment in neighbourhoods. However, city leadership indicates that while the original DEI language and frameworks are paused, the objectives of equitable investment and community opportunity may continue under new terminology and compliance guidelines.
Khadafy "DAP" Branch, a graffiti artist, received an email from the city of Dallas' Office of Arts and Culture stating that his funding could be in jeopardy. Branch, who organises the annual Styles Fest, a free community event featuring mural art in Pleasant Grove, expressed concern about the uncertainty this could bring to his plans for the fourth annual event.
Ilknur Ozgur, founder and director of Artstillery, a performance art and social justice focused organisation, is worried about the impact on Dallas' small and mid-size arts organisations. Ozgur questions what Dallasites want their city to look like in the face of these changes.
Arts Access, an arts journalism collaboration that received the Arts Activate grant last year, also receives funding from the Dallas Office of Arts and Culture. The city's Office of Arts and Culture declined a request for comment and instead sent a policy review document titled "Ensuring Federal Compliance While Driving Opportunity: City of Dallas Policy Review."
In response to the uncertainty, an OAC representative stated that the office is collecting questions at [email protected]. Answers to these questions, as well as the outcomes of the policy review, are expected to be finalised by October 2025.
Notably, grants awarded before April 22 will be fulfilled without changes. However, Branch stated that the changes could hurt Dallas' arts community as they already have limited resources. He expressed concern about starting a GoFundMe or asking for more help due to potential funding changes.
As the city works towards compliance with federal mandates, the future of programs such as the Culture of Value, Community Artist Program, Cultural Organizations Program, and Arts Activate hangs in the balance. The city's commitment to equitable investment and community opportunity remains, but the means to achieve this may be shifting.
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