Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM) announced today it has been awarded a three-year, $375,000 grant from the Texas Instruments Foundation to support the nonprofit’s mission to bring the best of Broadway to North Texas and expand the impact of live theater into all corners of the community. The grant will provide operational support for DSM’s next three Broadway seasons, the organization’s new array of education and community partnership programs, and the implementation of the organization’s new strategic plan.
“We are extremely honored to receive this grant from the Texas Instruments Foundation. As a nonprofit, we are so fortunate to have the continued support of an organization that recognizes the power of the arts like TI does,” said Ken Novice, president of Dallas Summer Musicals.
DSM has a long-standing relationship with Texas Instruments (TI) that precedes the receipt of this grant. TI has been a valued DSM Season Sponsor for over 10 years, and DSM’s current Chair of the Board, Jane Schoen, spent 32 years of her career with TI before retiring in 2017.
“This year’s public health crisis and the isolation felt by many has reminded us of the importance of the arts to find meaning in our common experiences,” said Andy Smith, executive director of the TI Foundation. “Art connects us, and we are proud to continue our support of the Dallas Summer Musicals and the role it plays to make Dallas a great place to live. In addition to the best of Broadway performances it brings to our city, we value the DSM’s education and outreach programs, which are vital to encourage creativity and curiosity in our city’s classrooms and community centers.”
During the three-year grant period, DSM will continue to build on the success of the annual DSM High School Musical Theatre Awards, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021. DSM will also expand existing organizational initiatives in the areas of audience development, education programs and community partnerships. Driven by the spirit of Broadway, DSM’s arts-imbued, equitable education programs and community partnerships serve diverse, multigenerational participants across North Texas, from K-12 students and educators to families with children. Reinvented in 2019, DSM’s education and community engagement initiatives fall into four programming blocks: 212° Connect, ConnecTix, Community Spotlight, and the annual High School Musical Theatre Awards, each of which advance DSM’s mission in this area. More information on these programs can be found at DallassummerMusicals.org.
