Community Projects
2024
Community Arts Program Artist (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
The Community Artist Program (CAP) provides artist services to Dallas communities by ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) and other individual artists and non-profit organizations to teach, perform, and exhibit at host facilities in neighborhoods around the City of Dallas. CAP cultivates collaborations between artists and communities.
This program helps promote cultural awareness, heightens citizen understanding of art forms, and celebrates the various traditions that contribute to the composition of this city.
Services are requested of CAP artists and organizations on an as-needed, when-needed basis. This means that if you need an artist for an event, we may be able to help!
We currently have 65 artists ready, willing, and able to provide cultural programming through workshops and performances throughout the city of Dallas. To access our artist roster, click here!
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Sustainable Summer Artist Residency (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture) As we work together to create a more vibrant arts community in Dallas, The Office of Arts and Culture (OAC) is committed to supporting equitable, diverse, and inclusive programs that provide Dallas residents with the opportunity to engage in meaningful and creative cultural experiences across the city. The Community Arts Sustainable Art Residency Program is an opportunity for artists to create programming with a focus on environmental sustainability. The selected artists will provide these opportunities in recreation centers across the City of Dallas. The residency program will connect artists with residents in the service of producing environmentally sustainable art experiences in alignment with the Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) approved in 2020. This plan is a comprehensive roadmap that outlines the activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to prepare for the impacts of climate change, and to create a healthier and more prosperous Dallas community.
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2023
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Community Arts Program Artist (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
The Community Artist Program (CAP) provides artist services to Dallas communities by ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) and other individual artists and non-profit organizations to teach, perform, and exhibit at host facilities in neighborhoods around the City of Dallas. CAP cultivates collaborations between artists and communities.
This program helps promote cultural awareness, heightens citizen understanding of art forms, and celebrates the various traditions that contribute to the composition of this city.
Services are requested of CAP artists and organizations on an as-needed, when-needed basis. This means that if you need an artist for an event, we may be able to help!
We currently have 65 artists ready, willing, and able to provide cultural programming through workshops and performances throughout the city of Dallas. To access our artist roster, click here!
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Summer Artist Residency (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
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Culture of Value (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture and National Endowment for the Arts) Jessica Bell will create sculptures for an upcoming art show titled "Rest". She seeks to create work that celebrates motherhood and that opens up conversation surrounding being a strong black woman but also the importance of rest and not pouring from an empty cup. Event will be held indoors and open-to-the-public. Consultant shall follow CDC guidelines for all in person events. All services are subject to the approval of the National Endowment for the Arts and City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, in accordance with the City of Dallas Cultural Policy, as amended.
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Arts Activate Grant (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
Registration link Expressive Art, 8th annual free art workshop programing offered by artist Jessica Bell. To give back to the community, Bell annually offers free art programing to residence of the City of Dallas funded through the Office of Arts and Culture. This year, the workshops will be offered to participants 18+ at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Workshops are free to attend and all materials are provided. Dates and programing are listed below with varied techniques and materials to encourage repeat participation. This will be a relaxed open studio environment that will focus on encouraging self expression. All ability levels welcomed!
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Dates and Programing
Weaving
Saturday, March 25th 11:00-12:00
Saturday, April 1st 11:00-12:00
Acrylic Painting
Saturday, April 8th 11:00-12:00
Saturday, April 15th 11:00-12:00
Mixed Media Painting
Saturday, April 22nd 11:00-12:00
Saturday, April 29th 11:00-12:00
Mixed Media Collage
Saturday, May 6 11:00-12:00
Saturday, May 13 11:00-12:00
Drawing - mark making
Saturday, May 20 11:00-12:00
Saturday, May 27 11:00-12:00
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Juanita Craft Artist Residency (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
Registration link Focusing on community, Artist Jessica Bell will be hosting open studio events at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Come work side by side with a local artist and create your own piece of art. The open studio is free for participants 18+. Materials will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own. This will not be art lessons but a time to come work or try something new. Work created during the open studio will be displayed at a later date but is the property of the artist (community member) who made it. A photographer will be on site to capture our work. The goal of the open studio events is to highlight the voices of the community. Create art that is important to you!
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Dates
Saturday, March 25th 12:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, March 29th 6:00-8:00pm
Saturday, April 1st 12:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, April 5th 6:00-8:00pm
Saturday, April 8th 12:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, April 12th 6:00-8:00pm
Saturday, April 15th 12:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, April 19th 6:00-8:00pm
Saturday, April 22nd 12:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, April 26th 6:00-8:00pm
Saturday, April 29th 12:00-4:00pm
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2022
Unhealth Care (Funded by San Antonio Ethnic Art Society)
Bell’s winning project, Unhealth Care, had high school girls create a five-part ceramic and metal installation that will riff off the squiggly, wood bead maze toys that are commonly found in pediatrician’s offices. The students responded to the health care disparities faced by poor, marginalized and POC communities that were aggravated by the Covid pandemic. Their installation will be displayed in multiple locations owned by Dallas ISD. “The Selection Committee was most struck by Jessica’s finesse at employing playful iconography and everyday – typically innocuous - items to lure the viewer into a closer examination and then deeper understanding of the messages embedded in her own artwork,” said Ronney Stevens, artist and SAEAS President. “It’s a hard skill to master. But Jessica has a burgeoning record of teaching everyday people and her students how to transfer complex concepts into beautiful art. Her proposal also conveyed the commitments by the school district, and even parents in the school’s Visual Arts Guild, to provide additional financial and facility resources to ensure the Booker T. Washington High School girls and Jessica can complete and exhibit their installations around the city this school year.”
San Antonio Ethnic Art Society awards 2021 Art Grant Jury Panel selects Dallas youth sculpture project responding to health disparities with Dallas artist and teacher Jessica Bell to lead students in using humor to convey visual messages. The San Antonio Ethnic Art Society (SAEAS) has selected artist and arts educator Jessica Bell as the recipient of its 2021 Abaraka Award for her youth art project with the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. The SAEAS Abaraka Award, a biennial art grant, was launched in 2017 to assist African American women in the visual arts in three areas: visual arts creation; curatorial projects; and research and academic endeavors related to visual arts.
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Lead Artist: Jessica Bell
Student Artist:Kinsley Rayne, Kamaria Pierce, Danielle Colman, Akyela Porchia Bowens, Kailey Davis, Kyra Sowells, Cori Johnson, Camille Stinson, Lana Lewis, Ray Tennell, Sierra McClendon, Haniyah Om, Isabel Thigpen
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Arts Activate Grant (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
Calm+Art Offered by Artist Jessica Bell. Focusing on meditative art processes. [Art for the sake of Art] COVID restrictions, limited class size.
Must be 18+ and older to attend. Held at the Cedars Union (1219 S Ervay St, Dallas, TX 75215) On Saturdays 11:00am-12:00
Feb 12 & 26 - Weaving
March 12 & 26 - Abstract Painting
April 9 & 23 -Plaster carvings
May 14 & 28 - Printmaking
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2021
Arts Activate Grant (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
Focusing on Equity, this grant project, New Art Experience, provided 100 free art kits to children, in the age range of 7-13 years old, in South Dallas, targeting the zip codes that are the lowest socioeconomic population. This project not only provides materials but instruction from a Distinguished Teacher (according to Dallas ISD and TEA) from Booker T Washington HSPVA. Each art kit included all necessary art materials for the participants to create 10 works of art based on African American Artist. The lessons were provided in English and Spanish and included a QR code that gave access to a one minute time-lapse video that showed how to complete the project. Along with focuses on African American Artist, the lessons' promotes Social and Emotional Learning having participants think about who is important to them and their lives.
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Culture of Value (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
Focusing on Equity, this grant project, Art Everywhere, provided 50 free art kits to children, in the age range of 7-13 years old, in South Dallas, targeting the zip codes that are the lowest socioeconomic population. This project not only provides materials but instruction from a Distinguished Teacher (according to Dallas ISD and TEA) from Booker T Washington HSPVA. Each art kit included all necessary art materials for the participants to create 10 works of art based on African American Artist. The lessons were provided in English and Spanish and included a QR code that gave access to a one minute time-lapse video that showed how to complete the project. Along with focuses on African American Artist, the lessons' promotes Social and Emotional Learning having participants think about who is important to them and their lives.
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2019
Gifts for Innovative Teachers (Funded by Junior League of Dallas)
Focusing on Innovative experiences, this grant project, Wonderful Sparks, provided an opportunity for participants 15-18 years old, to have access to a variety of welding equipment and instruction. This grant provided the consumables needed to complete a large scale sculpture project in collaboration with artist Scott Shubin which was purchased by Amli Fountain Place Dallas. Participants learned the process of creating the large scale Sculpture from design conception to completion.
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2018
CPP-SP - Special Support Grant (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture))
Focusing on Equity, this grant project, Dripped in Art, provided free art lessons to 11-13 year old residents of South Dallas, targeting the zip codes that are the lowest socioeconomic population. This project offered in person art lessons at the Martin Luther King Library. 10 lessons were offered based on fundamental art techniques and processes for portfolio development. Two of the participants were accepting into Booker T Washington HSPVA!
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Gifts for Innovative Teachers (Funded by Junior League of Dallas)
Focusing on Innovative experiences and Equity, this grant project, Ceramics Dream, provided an opportunity for participants 15-18 years old from a title one school, to have access to a variety of ceramics equipment, consumables and instruction. Through this grant project participants were able to create a series of mixed media art projects of their choice to use in a AP3D portfolio for college credit.
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2017
CPP-SP - Special Support Grant (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
Focusing on Equity, this grant project offered free art lessons to the children refugee population in East Dallas at San Francisco De Asis Church. Participants received bilingual art instruction from artist Jessica Bell and student volunteers. The art lessons were based on fundamental art techniques and processes for portfolio development. Along with the art lessons, participants could take piano and guitar lessons. Culminating the series of lessons, participants showcased what they have learned throughout the project.
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Gifts for Innovative Teachers (Funded by Junior League of Dallas)
Focusing on Innovative experiences and Equity, this grant project, Woodshop Wonder, provided an opportunity for participants 15-18 years old, to have access to a variety of wood working tools, power tools, and instruction in shop. Through this grant project participants from a title one school, were able to create a series of mixed media art projects of their choice to use in a AP3D portfolio for college credit.
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2016
CPP-SP - Special Support Grant (Funded by City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture)
Focusing on Equity, this grant project, Project Hope, provided 10 free art lessons to the downtown Dallas homeless population. In collaboration with artist and educator Cristina Estrella Riggs, artist Jessica Bell offered free art lessons at St. Matthew's Cathedral Arts on Ross Avenue Dallas that focuses on fundamental art techniques and processes and participants. Culminating the series of lessons and art exhibition with a public reception where work was viewed and sold. 100% of the proceeds went directly to the participants. All participants sold work!