Photo courtesy Oak Cliff Assembly/Lexreno Photos
The Oak Cliff Assembly will host its fourth annual Art Walk on July 6th from 2-8 p.m., providing a platform for local artists to showcase their work in a non-traditional setting and without the weight of gallery costs and fees.
The Oak Cliff Assembly is a 17,000-square-foot Dallas Historical Landmark that has been transformed into a mixed-use campus, including a theater, the new nonprofit Apprentice Creative Space, a potential coffee shop, and 23 private offices. Originally zoned for townhomes, the Oak Cliff Assembly team collaborated with the City Council and the neighborhood to rezone the property, allowing them to redevelop the church to serve the community with the goal of creating a hub for creatives in District 4.
“We were able to have the opportunity to purchase the Oak Cliff Assembly … and when we first came and moved in, the property had holes in the ceiling, and like two feet of water near the stage, and plaster hanging off the walls,” said Haley Leavitt of Proxy Properties, a real estate group focused on vacant, forgotten and historical properties. “Originally when we first walked in, we were like, how do we get people in here? And at first, we were like, let’s just put the pews outside and get some drinks and just sit outside and invite people in. And it just slowly kind of turned into well, what if we gave the pews out to the community and what if we do something like an art walk.”
With the idea of opening the doors to the assembly and creating a space for people to express themselves, the Art Walk was created. The first Art Walk featured around 35 artists, the next one had around 75, the next one over 120. This year, they are expecting 124 artists and 1200-1600 attendees.
“It was just amazing to have the community show up, and I think there’s a desire for events like this in Oak Cliff,” said AJ Ramler, founder of Proxy Properties. “We wanted to do something and we saw how much the community appreciates it. So here we are, this real estate company doing this art event, and it’s just been this really special and special personally, for me.”
The event is free this year thanks to its sponsors, which include Architexas, Elyse Build, Oak Cliff Chamber, Methodist Hospital, Frost Bank, Mycon Construction, Cap Multifamily, The Burke Group, RevoDallas, Mortgage Link, Henley Capital, Top Ten Records, Oak Cliff Brewery, Four Corners Brewery, Smittox Brwery, Apprentice Creative Space, and Thoughts and Days Studio.
This year, the Oak Cliff Assembly has also partnered with Top Ten Records, the oldest record store in Dallas, to curate the music and bring in local DJ, Alaska Quiñones, from 3-8 p.m.. The ULA Foundation will also showcase classic cars at 3 p.m.
The event will feature art work by all ages, skill sets, and mediums, including canvas, paint, textiles, ceramic, sculpture, metal, photography, and more.
