PILLAR: Vibrant
AGENDA DATE: February 25, 2026
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): Citywide
DEPARTMENT: Office of Arts and Culture
PRIORITY: N/A
______________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT
Title
A resolution authorizing and establishing the Cultural Organizations Program (COP) and approving the COP guidelines established by the Office of Arts and Culture to support cultural services in the City of Dallas for the fiscal year 2026-27 - Financing: This action has no cost consideration to the City (see Fiscal Information)
*In alignment with Dallas Cultural Plan.
Body
BACKGROUND
The updated Cultural Policy of the City of Dallas, adopted on November 28, 2018, by Resolution No. 18-1683 and amended most recently on December 10, 2025 by Resolution No. 25-1895, provides that guidelines for the various Cultural Funding Programs will be submitted annually for review and approval of the City Council. This serves to affirm the artistic nature of services to be provided through these various cultural programs and to specify the review and selection process for cultural services.
The COP is the support program through which the Office of Arts and Culture contracts for a full season of cultural services with established non-profit organizations for a variety of cultural programs that include concerts, plays, exhibitions, performances, workshops and other cultural programming for the benefit of Dallas residents and visitors.
The fiscal year (FY) 2026-27 COP guidelines align with the Dallas Cultural Plan 2018 priorities, including alignment to staff and board diversity goals, and resident panel evaluation of cultural programming in neighborhoods around Dallas.
Last year, in an effort to respond to the ever-growing administrative demands of Dallas arts and culture organizations, volunteer review panelists, and City staff, the FY 2025-26 COP guidelines also proposed an administrative change to the execution of the program moving from a one-year cycle to a three-year cycle. FY 2025-26 served as year one with all application, review, and scoring requirements remaining consistent with prior COP guidelines. This year, FY 2026-27 and next year, FY 2027-28 will serve as years two and three respectively. All returning applicants funded in the FY 2025-26 year will submit an updated scope of services for the upcoming year, as well as a shortened written application for which applicants will receive administrative scoring for funding recommendations. New applicants may also apply but will submit a full application (including the traditional panel process).
Other updates made in the proposed guidelines are:
• Application and Program timeline
• Access and Impact survey that assesses an applicant’s engagement with residents, visitors, and the Dallas arts community
• Additional administrative points and value given to applicants who demonstrated contract compliance (including monthly report submission and financial audit submission) in the previous year
• Additional administrative points and value given to operational management, rewarding organizations with updated internal control documents such as employee handbook
• Minor wording and document flow updates to improve readability for new applicants, clarify requirements, and update submission deadlines and dates.
COP cultural service contracts are awarded in accordance with Cultural Policy, all funding recommendations will first be considered by the Allocations Committee of the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission will make recommendations followed by the full Arts and Culture Advisory Commission. The Commission’s funding recommendations will be brought to City Council in the fall of 2026 for authorization of the associated cultural service contracts.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On January 8, 2026, the Allocations Committee of the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission voted to recommend these guidelines.
On January 15, 2026, the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission voted to recommend these guidelines.
The Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee was briefed by memorandum regarding this matter on February 17, 2026. <https://cityofdallas.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=15181277&GUID=5FA16A20-A7C2-4A93-8C45-CE5317DF601A>
FISCAL INFORMATION
This action has no cost consideration to the City. Appropriations for the Cultural Support Programs are established in the General Fund through the annual budget development process. Each award to a cultural organization through Cultural Organizations Program will be authorized by resolution of the City Council.