Gallery of Dreams

Since its creation in 2017, Gallery of Dreams has been dedicated to progressing the growing art scene in North Texas. The support of our community ensures we can do things that benefit the city we love, such as having free admission to acclaimed exhibitions, scheduling monthly artist lectures, and most notably our grant programs, artist in residency program as well as our High School Art Exposition.

2024/2025 Mayor Mattie Parker Art Competition:

The Gallery of Dreams 2024 Mayor Mattie Parker Art show was a huge success, and the competition welcomed all Fort Worth and surrounding area High Schools.   In it’s eighth year, acclaimed curator Maria Elena Ortiz was the juror.  Students experienced the process involved in submitting artwork to a professional gallery.  Selected students were given a two-week exhibition where their artwork was on display and the gallery welcomed family & friends and the mayor for an award reception.  This year a special scholarship was given by the Texas Academy of Figurative Art.  The grand prize winner has their artwork on display outside Mayor Mattie Parker’s office until the following year.  We look forward to growing this incredible program with the partnership of the offices of the Mayor of Fort Worth.

Artist-in-Residency Program: Allie Dickerson

The Artist-in-Residency program’s key goal is to support a local artist in their advancement as a professional in the local art community and beyond. The program encourages the community to see firsthand the artist's process as they create in an environment accessible to the public and open to questions about the artistic process.

Allie Dickerson was selected by our esteemed jurors, Benito Huerta and Letitia Huckaby, as the Gallery of Dreams 2024 Artist-in-Residence.  The residency runs for three months ending October 2024. Dickerson received a $7,500 cash award for being selected. She is also being given studio space, a monthly stipend, and funds for materials. Allie will showcase her works in a solo exhibition in January 2025.

Artist Talks & Community Discussions:

Gallery Of Dreams is dedicated to fostering a thriving artistic community by connecting established artists with those eager to learn and grow. The organization’s programs are designed to offer accessible art education to individuals of all ages and skill levels, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to explore their creative potential.

Recent Artist conversations included Dr. Sheila K. Colins PhD and her book “The Art of Grieving.” Colins and her team of talented performers showed the community how the arts can be a powerful collaborator with grief, bringing healing through storytelling, music, dance and visual arts.

Free art exhibitions:

Fort Works Art Gallery’s upcoming group exhibition, "Seriously?!", showcases the powerful role of humor and satire in contemporary art. Featuring over 20 artists, the show invites audiences to explore how these creative tools address complex societal issues with wit and insight.

 Our Needs

We envision a community where contemporary artists and an engaged public enhance their creative capacity through relevant, diverse, and accessible experiences and conversations. We strive to improve the quality of life and strengthen the viability of the North Texas artist community as a whole. 

We are asking for your support to continue to help our incredible mission to bring these programs to our community.  Your help affords a future generation of creatives the chance to learn and grow into successful artists and community members.