Dallas City Council to Approve Art Design, May 25, 9 am.

After nearly two years of meetings, fundraising, site selection and a call for designs, the Dallas City Council is set to give final approval for an artwork honoring Oak Cliff blues musicians Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan in Kiest Park, near their childhood home.

Spearheaded by the Oak Cliff Foundation, which raised $68,000 in necessary funds, the Office of Cultural Affairs awarded the contract to Spanish artist Casto Solano, who beat out 73 other submissions. The contract was approved by the Park Board on May 19, and now goes before the City Council at 9:00 am this Wednesday at Dallas City Hall.

“This has been a long, somewhat tedious process, but we’re on the two-yard line and about to take it in the end zone,” said Oak Cliff Foundation board member Kirby Warnock. It all started nearly three years ago when Warnock’s documentary film on the Dallas music scene, When Dallas Rocked, aired on KERA television (PBS, Channel 13). “I got tons of e-mails and calls asking why Dallas had done nothing to recognize our great music history, particularly the Vaughan brothers, who were born and raised here, and learned their guitar skills in Dallas nightclubs.” 

Now it comes down to this last approval. Although it looks like a done deal, it never hurts to have supporters in the gallery during the final vote, which will take place Wednesday morning, 9:00 am, May 25 in the Council Chambers at Dallas City Hall, located at 1500 Marilla Street, Dallas, Texas 75201. The public is urged to attend. (Wear your Vaughan brothers t-shirts if you have them!)

If you cannot appear, you may watch the entire proceedings online at http://dallascityhall.com/government/Pages/Live.aspx

The Dallas Morning News covers our efforts

Robert Wilonsky has a great piece in the Dallas Morning News showing readers the concept design for the artwork and telling why this is important. A very good read that will put things in perspective. Click the link then send it to a friend. 

http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com/2016/04/wilonsky-dallas-to-finally-honor-jimmie-and-stevie-ray-vaughan-and-you-get-the-first-look.html/#commentsOuterWrapper

The artist and design are selected

On Thursday, April 7, the committee from the Office of Cultural Affairs selected an artist and design for the Vaughan brothers artwork in Kiest Park. We will post the winning design as soon as the Public Art Committee and  the Dallas City Council give their approval. At this point that should be a formality. 

We will be posting regular updates on our Facebook page. Please visit us at https://www.facebook.com/vaughanbrothersartproject?fref=ts

THANK YOU FOR HELPING MAKE HISTORY!!!

Down to three finalists

The Office of Cultural Affairs and the committee assembled for the Vaughan Brothers Art Project narrowed down a list of 73 artists to three. Those three artists will present their designs for an artwork honoring Jimmie and Stevie on April 7. This meeting is open to the public. If the three designs are not deemed satisfactory, we can go back and ask them for new designs. It's getting closer, but getting everyone to agree on what this artwork should look like may be challenging, because everyone has different ideas. Stay tuned, and follow us on the Vaughan Brothers Art Project Facebook page!

Site selection done at Kiest Park

On Tuesday, November 3, the Dallas Parks Board, the Office of Cultural Affairs and the non-profit Oak Cliff Foundation met near the entrance to Kiest Park to select a site for the Vaughan brothers artwork. Photos are posted on our Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/vaughanbrothersartproject?fref=ts

The site is close to where Christian Brooks led a candle light vigil the night Stevie died. It was also the spot where Jimmie and Stevie used to go over to Kiest Park from their nearby home on Glenfield Avenue. (This was confirmed by Jimmie.) On December 3, the Parks Board will vote to approve the site, but we do not expect any issues because most of the Board was there to choose it. Once that takes place, the Office of Cultural Affairs will issue a call for designs. From all of the designs submitted, a committee will narrow it down to 4-5 finalists, then a single artist will be selected to produce the approved art work. We are real, and we are  moving forward. Stay tuned for more updates.

It's really going to happen!!!

WE ARE REAL!!! The City of Dallas, the Parks Department and the Office of Cultural Affairs held the required community meeting last night at the Hampton-Illinois library. Now there will be a period of public comment where input from community members will be provided to artists selected to compete for the commission.
Send your thoughts on what the Vaughan brothers music meant to you, and what you think the final design should look like to: [email protected]

The call for designs should go out from the City later this month, then they will narrow it down to 2-3 artists, make a selection, and put the winning artist to work creating the piece to go into Kiest Park. It's really happening, folks. Thanks for your help!!!