Arts Mission Oak Cliff kicks off their fifth anniversary this Saturday night with a prom-themed fundraiser and you are invited.
Over these past five years, Arts Mission Oak Cliff has offered support to over 1,000 artists with job opportunities, mentorship programs, educational support, and space for performances.
“Our mission is about captivating and cultivating a community where play is welcome,” Director of Development Rachel Kitto said. “We want to offer a place for all artists, provide support, and be a home for a way to create in whatever way that looks like to the artist.”
Arts Mission Oak Cliff is one of those rare historic preservation success stories. With this success, as in most cases, a handful of people make a difference, demonstrating that it only takes a small village to protect and preserve our historic buildings. Slogging through the lengthy zoning process, the heated neighborhood debates, and ensuring a striking community gathering place does not fall prey to the wrecking ball — again — is not for the faint of heart.
L-R: Jonathan Vinson, Brad Nitschke, Alicia Quintans, Tony Wann, Lola Lott, Todd Lott, Maria Luna (Photo courtesy of Arts Mission Oak Cliff)
We are generally familiar with two primary routes for historic preservation. There’s the restoration of a home or adaptive reuse of a commercial building. We seldom consider what happens to an abandoned church. Sometimes they are converted for residential use, and sometimes they find new life. More often, they are demolished.
The former Winnetka Congregational Church is once again serving the community as Arts Mission Oak Cliff. It’s possibly the best adaptive reuse of a church ever.
A Neighborhood Gathering Place
Architect T.J. Gailbraith designed the church, which opened its doors to the neighborhood in 1929. Gailbraith was involved in designing the Texas Hall of State building at Fair Park and other projects connected with the Texas Centennial. Mr. and Mrs. E.M. Powell purchased the land for the church, which had outgrown its former location. When the cornerstone was laid, the congregation placed a box inside with a 1929 yearbook, the church’s history, newspaper clippings about the death of E.M Powell, and information on the congregation’s growth.
In 2003 the church closed its doors, and it sat empty except for one person living in the rear of the building until 2015. That’s when Todd and Lola Lott decided this was a project they could embrace. You may have heard of Lola. She founded charlieuniformtango (CUT), an award-winning industry leader in film and post-production, and ran it for 26 years. She and Todd know how to get things done, and when they set their heart on a project, it will succeed.
It was not easy, but the neighbors and the city were eventually persuaded that saving this church would benefit the community. A small team of dedicated preservationists pulled off nothing short of a miracle.
The decision was made to renovate in a manner that would qualify the project for historic tax credits from the state, which meant finding uniquely qualified craftsmen. When a building is converted for public use as a theater space, it must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For that piece of the puzzle, architect Alicia Quintans drew the building as it was, again with modifications, and designed ADA access.
Arts Mission Oak Cliff now houses not only performance spaces but also a commercial kitchen, dance studio, and a small sound booth donated by The Richards Group.
“It’s unique in that we can have a gallery opening upstairs and a play going on downstairs simultaneously,” Kitto said. “In 2020, when we could not be inside, we had a series of dance shows in the parking lot. People sat in their cars to watch. Neighbors hearing music came outside and watched the shows from the sidewalk. It was beautiful.”
Arts Mission has been returned to its glory days as a dramatic and beautiful home to the public, giving artists a much-needed place to experiment and perform and offering services to the neighborhood like summer camps for children.
“My long-term hope is that Arts Mission Oak Cliff becomes a generational entity,” Kitto said. “The building has been such a cornerstone of the neighborhood. I remember coming here as a kid after Sunday service for food and music. I want the next generation to feel that spark again and that connection to the community.”
You can start those sparks flying and ensure Arts Mission Oak Cliff continues its path by attending The Under The Sea Prom this weekend. It looks to be quite the bash with an art walk auction, wine pull, and open bar, so if you are looking for a great way to give back to the community and have a blast, this is the place to be Saturday night.
