PILLAR: Vibrant
AGENDA DATE: February 25, 2026
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): Citywide
DEPARTMENT: Office of Arts and Culture
PRIORITY: N/A
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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 t...
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