The Grand Prairie Arts Council (GPAC) is dedicated to the promotion of the arts and cultural tourism in the city of Grand Prairie and the North Texas Region. GPAC will produce, coordinate and fund a program of work that encompasses the principle arts disciplines and reflects the cultural diversity of our community. GPAC will work to bring about greater exposure to the arts, and integrate the arts into the total life of the community.
GPAC provides free and low cost visual and performing arts experiences for the local community, and encourages cultural tourism by advertising programming and events to the entire region. Each year GPAC produce 4-5 community theatre and musical productions, 3-4 weeks of Children's Arts Programming in the summer, 2 - Outdoor Concert Series, Adult Juried Art Show and various Outreach Programs. GPAC also provides funding to local arts organizations, and educational scholarships.
The Uptown Theater, in downtown Grand Prairie, is the home for GPAC's theatre productions and Children's Programming. It features a 400-seat live performance space complete with Main Stage, Orchestra Pit, Lobby Art Gallery and Studio Theater; and is a showcase for the Arts that are flourishing in our community. The theater is a city-owned rental facility and provides GPAC with a permanent theatre venue for performances.
Since the opening of the Uptown Theater in 2008, GPAC has been tremendously successful in garnering performers from throughout the region and producing high-quality shows productions. The theater has provided the stability and professional environment that the Arts Council needed to encourage artistic growth in our work, increased audiences for GPAC productions and increased revenues through ticket sales.
GPAC obtains funding support for productions, events and exhibits through grants, local hotel/motel tax, private and public foundations, and individual donations. Including Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in support of GPAC's theatre season.
Our Needs
GPAC's Current Need:
The funds raised through the North Texas Giving Day will go toward Cultural Arts programming and events. We had a record-breaking season in 2019. and after making it through COVID 19 and a temporary stop in all productions, we are back better than ever!
The Grand Prairie Arts Council has set ambitious goals for the future. With the hard work of many volunteers and the financial support of the citizens, businesses, and the City of Grand Prairie these goals are attainable. The arts in Grand Prairie have come a long way in recent years. GPAC will use these donations exclusively for Arts Programming.