Fort Worth Report: Fort Worth has the artists and the passion. Leaders seek city support to grow the arts

Fort Worth has the artists and the passion. Leaders seek city support to grow the arts

By Dang Le
October 22, 2026

Just blocks from Frost Tower Fort Worth, ballet, opera and symphonic music share a stage at Bass Performance Hall. Nearby, Jubilee and Circle theaters pair productions with arts education. Galleries along Houston Street showcase local artists’ work.

That cultural life isn’t just for entertainment, said Jill Caughron, interim executive director of Texas Ballet Theater. It draws tourists and provides a thriving culture to attract employers, and sustaining them requires support that arts organizations cannot always count on.

“The primary thing is, you know, our funding is just unpredictable,” Caughron said.

At the Fort Worth Report 2026 Growth Summit on Oct. 22 inside Frost Tower, arts leaders called for stronger city support as Fort Worth grows. Their concerns extended beyond the ability to put on the next performance or exhibition but more so to the less visible work of reliable funding and a partner inside City Hall to help coordinate programs, connect organizations with resources and reach more residents.