Today we’d like to introduce you to Arts Mission Oak Cliff. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Arts Mission Oak Cliff (AMOC) opened its doors in February 2017. The massive restoration of the Winnetka Congregational Church in Oak Cliff’s Winnetka Heights historic neighborhood was a dream and labor of love for Executive Artistic Director Anastasia Muñoz and the investors behind the project, Lola and Todd Lott. Emerging conflicts and opportunities in Oak Cliff offer an optimal climate for the creation of art but finding an affordable space to create and produce that art is challenging. AMOC meets this challenge.
AMOC is, all at once, a shared workspace, performance space, rehearsal space, and community center offering artists a place to practice, teach, develop and display their crafts. The original sanctuary offers a space for full productions and workshops. The half-basement, nicknamed “The Underground”, is lined with Sunday School classrooms transformed into various creative workspaces. As the first performance in the sanctuary in the Spring of 2017, Dallas-based Cara Mia Theater launched their world premiere of Caridad Svich’s De Troya.
The organization was primarily volunteer-run through a program we call “Exchange Club” or “AMOCX”. Local, often young, artists offer their time and support building upkeep, social media, and program management in exchange for using the space for their own creative practices. The org’s current Interim Executive Director and Director of Operations began as AMOCX members and became dedicated contributors to AMOC’s growth over the past 3 years. AMOC has experimented with many models over the years, striving to find the most impactful and sustainable way to provide opportunities for local artists and arts groups to create and share their work through both rentals and its own programming. In 2021, the Artist-in-Residence program launched and supported four artists/groups through a creative residency in the space. AMOC Presents, a monthly live performance event featuring local artists, began in January 2022, and AMOC continues to adapt and expand its offerings to support the needs of local creatives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business is never easy. Starting a business for the arts is even more challenging. The early stages of AMOC’s development were full of long days, hard conversations, volunteer efforts, and leaps of faith. The organization was growing, but there was a constant need to rework models and find sources of income. COVID-19 had a devastating impact on AMOC. Although AMOC has been a functioning artist space and organization since 2017, AMOC achieved its 501(c)3 non-profit status in November 2019. The organization was excited to continue and expand its programming in 2020, as well as apply for local and federal funding to support its work. Much of the organization’s revenue at the time came from venue rentals and memberships. When the building was forced to close its doors in March 2020, all of that income was lost. Each staff member took a paycut and many offered to forgo salary in order to keep the organization afloat. Paying members were forced to end their subscriptions and the Exchange Club program was suspended. Rent and utilities were generously donated in kind by the building’s landlord during months when the building was empty.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
AMOC strives to be a home for artists. In 2022, staff, board, and AMOCX members collaborated to create a Culture Document that captured the magic and beliefs of AMOC. Below is an excerpt from the document describing our primary belief, Community:
“AMOC holds space for people to discover and cultivate art. We seek to break down the social and economic barriers between art and The Public by providing space in Oak Cliff, an area that hosts a bolstering artists community, but traditionally receives little financial support for art. We aim to build relationships between artists of varying mediums and levels to inspire collaboration, mentorship, and risk-taking. A strong creative community elevates each of its members through the celebration of diversity, and the practices of equity and inclusion. We strive to cultivate a safe space for people to ask questions, fail, and try again. Through sharing our stories, our struggles, and our successes, we learn, grow, and support each other to achieve something greater than we could on our own.”
What are your plans for the future?
After the impact of the pandemic on the organization and its community, AMOC is focused on sustainability. In addition to restructuring staff, expanding the board, and investing in infrastructure, AMOC is re-opening its doors with a heightened sense of community responsibility. The Exchange Club program is back, allowing the building to open its doors to new artists and renters. AMOC continues to rent its space out for creative and special community events to generate income and has planned to expand programming in 2023 that will simultaneously support local artists, engage AMOC audiences, and provide consistent streams of revenue to the organization. AMOC continues to grow in and among its community and is dedicated to setting an example of sustainability in the arts.
Pricing:
- $15/hr Subsidized Rehearsal Space for qualifying artists/groups
- $30-$40/hr Base Rates for rehearsal & private workshop rentals
- $500/day-$1,000/wk Production Rentals
- Avg. Ticket price $15
Contact Info:
- Website: artsmissionoc.org
- Instagram: @artsmission
- Facebook: facebook.com/artsmission
Image Credits
Corey Haynes
Evan Michael
Woods Cristopher
Sonny Martinez
Caleb Ruckel
