Garland’s unique cultural landscape

The City of Garland has a rich cultural history dating back to its origins in the late 1800s. Since the 1980s, the Granville Arts Center and Plaza Theatre in Garland’s historic downtown have anchored and expanded arts offerings in the city. These performance centers have played a central role in Garland’s downtown revitalization efforts, attracting local and regional audiences and providing a home for a strong core group of cultural performance organizations. In recent years, the Garland Cultural Arts Commission has built from these successes by launching a public art program. This is just one example of the emerging energy around the cultural arts in Garland. Key stakeholders such as the Garland Cultural Arts Commission and Garland ISD are showing strong leadership in making a home for the arts in Garland and ensuring access to the arts for

BELOW: A historic image of Garland musicians, photo courtesy of Heritage Crossing.

all community members, and there is opportunity and interest in building upon these efforts.

Texas Made (and Created) Here

Garland is a city of creators. Beyond the cultural sector, Garland is known for its manufacturing and creation. Garland’s slogan “Texas Made Here” speaks to the strength of Garland’s manufacturing industry, a central aspect of Garland’s economy and way of life. It also speaks to the value of making that is a core part of Garland’s civic spirit. Creative spirit contributed to the growth of manufacturing in Garland since the beginning of the industry’s roots in the area in the 1940s, and it is a value that is present in many Garland residents today.

Garland’s Diverse and Family-Oriented Communities

Garland is a growing and diverse community, with residents and community members from many different cultural, racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Over 160 languages are spoken in Garland. The city annually celebrates its large Hispanic community at the Dia de los Muertos festival, and its large Vietnamese community with the Lunar New Year Festival. Residents, leaders, and visitors alike recognize Garland’s diversity as its strength. Garland is also a family-oriented community. Events like Big Art Day bring out families to celebrate and create together. The impressive cultural arts offerings in the Garland Independent School District have fostered an up-and-coming generation of immensely creative and talented young people in the city.

An Active and Involved Creative Sector

Garland’s cultural arts leaders are grounded in the community’s creative history and celebrated performance and cultural offerings.

Now, these leaders are asking: How can the City of Garland

• grow creative offerings geographically and culturally?

• leverage organizational partnerships to create professional and creative networks for youth and working artists?

• highlight the contribution of the arts to the community’s high quality of life?