Last week, the Creative Arts Center of Dallas (CAC), an arts organization founded by Octavio Medellin, announced its Equitable Artist Residency (EAR) to better support BIPOC artists.
The goal of the EAR program is to give artists a platform to voice their experiences related to race and to open a dialogue with the community. The initiative was born out of CAC’s participation in the Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation’s 2022 Racial Equity Cohort, a seven-month series of workshops and coaching related to race, racism, racial healing, racial equity, and racial justice.
In a press release announcing the program, CAC Executive Director Diana Pollack stated, “CAC was founded over 50 years ago by a Mexican immigrant. Our founder, Octavio Medellin, was keenly aware that every artist has different needs to sustain the work they do. We are here to lend an ear and allow these artists to lead us into new territory.”
Ben Muñoz
The program provides residency artists with a stipend, exhibition opportunities, studio access, and community-based programming. The inaugural resident is Benjamin Muñoz, a Dallas-based Latino artist working in printmaking. His work currently on view at the center spans 2017 to 2023 and includes prints made at the Flatbed Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Austin and Asylum Prints in Richmond, Virginia, as well as self-published prints.
Ben Muñoz, “Influenced” on view at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas, 2023
Mr. Muñoz remarked, “I believe that EAR is going to fill a much-needed gap in our artist community here in Dallas. It gives artists the opportunity to show work in an experimental space with very little restrictions on what can be done to the physical gallery. Art spaces that give you that type of freedom are not as common as you’d think. CAC has been a great resource in the community for years, and adding the EAR program really furthers the impact and mission of an organization that aims to provide accessible opportunities to aspiring artists.”
Influenced, a solo exhibition of work by Mr. Muñoz, is on view at CAC through Friday, March 31.
