Stronger Together Through Creativity: Weekly Message from Maggie Campbell, President and CEO of DAMC

It was a game-changing moment for Downtown Arlington twelve years ago when the Levitt Pavilion kicked off its inaugural concert season. In many ways, this was the catalyst for the arts, commercial and residential renaissance we see throughout our district today. 

The coronavirus is also a game-changing moment in the evolution of Downtown. For the arts in particular, the impact could be devastating. Although many of our arts organizations got a boost this week from North Texas Giving Tuesday contributions, the long-term budgetary impact of the pandemic remains a serious concern.

The time is now to rally around Downtown Arlington’s arts and cultural institutions.

Thanks to a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and additional support from the City of Arlington and UT Arlington, Downtown Arlington is pleased to launch a project to develop a comprehensive arts strategy for our district and our city.

Guided by Webb Mgmt., a nationally recognized arts research and consultant firm, the study will focus on how to support our existing arts community, maximize the value of existing assets, and identify opportunities for programs and facilities growth. The process, which begins this month and wraps up by early Fall, will engage every arts organization in Downtown plus multiple stakeholder groups.

How extraordinarily fortunate we are to have obtained funding for this project shortly before the coronavirus outbreak. Thanks to the foresight of the DAMC Executive Board, in March we postponed the launch of the study, then worked with Webb Mgmt. and our funding partners to revise its scope to factor in the long-term implications of the pandemic. We are now ready to begin reaching out to our stakeholders to launch Phase I of the study. 

DAMC fervently believes in the power of the arts to inspire creativity. With creativity, all things are possible, maybe even the impossible. Let’s go find out.
 

ROOTED IN CREATIVITY: NEXT DAMC PODCAST CELEBRATES ARTS & CULTURE

To continue our celebration of the arts, join us for our next Downtown Arlington Roots podcast with Levitt Pavilion Executive Director Letatia Teykl, 3Di Signs + Design Owner Paul Fulks, and Persis Ann Forster, Artistic Director for Dance Theatre Arlington and Owner of Miss Persis Studio of Dance. Rooted in Creativity, which will be released at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, will explore the long-standing traditions of live music, fine and performing arts, and arts education in Downtown Arlington.

Enjoy the entire Downtown Arlington Roots series anywhere you listen to podcasts, including iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and Downtown Arlington Facebook Live. 

Next up:

• At 4:00 p.m. Thursday, May 14, join us for Roots of Revitalization. Today’s renaissance in Downtown started with lots of big dreams, dedication and tenacity. Join the conversation with “Downtown Tony” Rutigliano, owner of Urban Alchemy, longtime Arlington leader Tom Cravens, and Tom’s daughter Mary Tom Curnutt, Tarrant County Judge, Precinct 2 for this amazing story of reinvention and community building.
• Our final two episodes, Rerooting: The Origins of Innovation and Reinvention; and Rootin’ For Each Other: Downtown’s Long-standing Commitment to Kindness and Community Service, will be released at 4:00 p.m. Thursday May 21 and May 28 respectively. 
• Available anytime are our first two episodes, including Uprooted: The History of the Texas Rangers with John Blake, executive vice president of the Texas Rangers, and Parker Vandergriff, grandson of Mayor Tom Vandergriff; and Puttin’ Down Roots, stories of early Arlington with writer and historian O.K. Carter and Geraldine Mills, Executive Director of the Arlington Historical Society.

We’re looking forward to hearing from all of our special guests for these hometown podcasts! Please take a break this afternoon at 4:00 p.m. and join us on Facebook Live.
 

LEVITT LIVING ROOM SERIES PRESENTS JAMIE LIN WILSON ON MAY 12

We love how the Levitt Living Room Series is keeping us connected with one of our favorite Downtown traditions. The next live-streaming concert is Tuesday, May 12 with a performance by Jamie Lin Wilson. Be sure to consult Downtown Delivers for delicious picnic-at-home options, then tune in to the show at 7:00 p.m. on the Levitt’s Facebook Live or Instagram Live.
 

DOWNTOWN DELIVERS SUPPORT 

In the coming days, we’re launching a new video series as a spin-off of our popular Downtown Delivers platform.

The series will run exclusively on our social media channels. It highlights ways Downtown Arlington businesses and partners have served our community throughout the pandemic. In the first video, Downtown Delivers Support, you’ll see the inspiring story of Old School Pizza Tavern, Salter Bros Coffee Roasters and Hurtado Barbecue who have created and delivered care packages for our city’s healthcare workers.
 

KINDLY TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS  

As of May 1, Texas restaurants, retail stores, museums and libraries are permitted to reopen up to 25% of their capacity under an executive order from Texas Governor Gregg Abbott.

This week, Gov. Abbott announced salons and public pools may reopen Friday, May 8 under similar, city-guided restrictions. Gyms, certain office buildings, and certain manufacturers will be permitted to reopen with restrictions on May 18. To assist with this transition, Downtown Arlington is partnering with the City of Arlington, Texas Rangers, Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau to provide free masks to businesses as they ramp up operations.

The challenges of running at 25% capacity can’t be understated, particularly for restaurateurs who must order perishable goods based on anticipated demand. In Downtown and throughout our city, entrepreneurs are making daily assessments on how to best serve their customers and follow best practices for health and safety. 

How can customers best serve our local business community? Through kindness. Kindness comes in many forms, but everyone can express kindness by continuing to practice social distancing, regular handwashing, wearing protective masks, and staying at home when feeling unwell. If you go out or use our Downtown Delivers services, please remember to tip well, our employees will appreciate the support! By staying the course, we can move forward together.

If you see acts of kindness taking place in Downtown, please share the good news by posting and tagging on social media with #ArlingtonKindness and @cityofarlington.

With gratitude,

Maggie Campbell
President and CEO
Downtown Arlington Management Corporation