Creativity takes a village, and we have the best one around. We’re excited to share our FY 2024-2025 Annual Report, highlighting a year of incredible artistic milestones and programmatic achievements made possible by your generosity. Click through to see how we’re 'Growing the Arts' together!
Dear Friends of the Sammons Center, I am overcome with gratitude and joy as I reflect on the 2024-2025 fiscal year, marking the Sammons Center’s 37th year of serving Dallas’s vibrant performing arts community. Whether this past year marked your first concert at the Sammons Center YOUR STANDING OVATION LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Joanna St. Angelo Executive Director
or you made a transformational gift in support of our mission, your participation helped to grow the arts. Every donation, membership, and ticket purchased ensures that people of all ages and backgrounds can access art and culture close to home. This report highlights the artists and organizations we serve, the milestones we’ve reached, and the collective impact of the Sammons Center community over the past year. These achievements are a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering the arts and to the passionate supporters like you who make our continued success possible.
With sincere gratitude,
Photography Contributors: Keren Escobar, Bart Marantz, & Liane Swanson Annual Report Content & Design Contributors: Claire Mock & Rader-Philips Design
STAFF LIST
2024-2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Joanna St. Angelo , Executive Director* Michael Cook , Assistant Director Claire Mock , Director of Advancement
Michael L. Riddle , President/Chair Joshua Black , Vice President G. Timothy Hardin , Secretary Lucas LaChance , CPA, CIA, Treasurer John Alvarado Lori Bensing
Patricia Stewart-Gordon , Director of Finance Arlington Jone s, Artistic Director of Sammons Jazz Rebecca Cordes , Artistic Director of Sammons Cabaret Dr. Keron Jackson , Director of Special Projects Karisa Coe , Institutional Giving Manager Marica Cruz , Marketing Manager Tasha Morris , Office Assistant Andrew Kochie , Event Coordinator Jamie Torres , Building Supervisor Ruben Rojas , Assistant Building Coordinator Charles Ragsdale , Assistant Building & Event Coordinator *Position Endowed by Sammons Enterprises
Zaida Basora , FAIA Seema Deshpande Christopher A. Poinsatte Smitha Radhakrishnan
ABOUT US GROWING THE ARTS ONE PERFORMANCE AT A TIME
Since 1988, the Sammons Center for the Arts has served as the backbone of the North Texas performing arts community. Housed in the historic Turtle Creek Pump Station, we provide space and resources for 18 diverse incubator residents—including ALAANA, LGBTQ+, youth-focused, and women-led organizations—dedicated to enriching lives through performance. Our impact and influence extends far beyond our walls; we illuminate over 80 additional artists and groups through our Virtual Office and Art-Works programs. We also enhance the city’s cultural landscape by producing two signature series: Sammons Jazz and Sammons Cabaret . The Sammons Center celebrates the depth and brilliance of the Dallas arts community by nurturing a vibrant greenhouse of innovation, ensuring that creativity is not only sustained but also remains diverse and accessible for our entire region.
FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 IMPACT REPORT
37 VIRTUAL OFFICE USERS
$ 15,OOO SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDED TO ONE POST-GRADUATE UNT JAZZ STUDIES STUDENT
1OO+ ARTISTS & ARTS GROUPS SERVED ANNUALLY
18 RESIDENT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
1,54O CONCERT TICKETS SOLD
$ 9O,148 ANNUAL ARTISTS’ COMPENSATION PAID
1,239 LOCAL PERFORMING ARTS EVENTS PROMOTED
$ 44,765 NET RAISED FROM JAZZ BRUNCH FUNDRAISER
2O,OOO ANNUAL WEBSITE VIEWS
1, 3OO WEEKLY VISITORS
1,8OO D’JAM JAZZ STROLL ATTENDEES
INCLUDING 400+ YOUTH
SAMMONS JAZZ
Arlington Jones , Steinway Artist, directed the FY24-25 Sammons Jazz season celebrated the vibrant elegance of the Dallas jazz scene. Across eight unforgettable nights, we curated a diverse tapestry of sound—from the Latin rhythms of the Buenos Dias Social Club to the powerhouse vocals of Whitney James and Mahogany TheArtist . The season culminated in a soulful finale with Arlington Jones & The Soul Chamber Band , marking another year of Sammons Jazz as the city’s premier home for world-class artistry.
SAMMONS CABARET
Under the artistic direction of Rebecca Cordes , the FY24-25 Sammons Cabaret season continued its tradition of intimate, extraordinary storytelling. We are deeply grateful to Astrid Merriman for her generous continued sponsorship and unwavering passion for the performing arts. This season’s highlights included five signature showcases featuring solo artists Rosana Eckert, Peter DiCesare, Sheran Goodspeed Keyton, WT Greer , and one dynamic trio — consisting of Jodi Crawford Wright, Andrea Fernandez Tom , and Andy Zapata . Our reach extended further through two Cabaret and Cabernet Fête performances and our holiday concert, Making Spirits Bright , featuring guest artists such as Chris Cree, Julia Carter , and Keron Jackson , celebrating the incredible depth of our local cabaret community.
ART-WORKS PROGRAM EXPANDS FALL 2025
Launched in 2016, Art-Works supports individual artists and arts groups as they grow and adapt to North Texas’s evolving arts landscape. The program offers free online resources and training opportunities. New this year, made possible by the Moody Foundation and the Theodore and Beulah Beasley Foundation , the Sammons Center will provide incubator residents and virtual office partners access to the Foundation Directory Online, a useful grant research tool that helps identify new funding opportunities. With expanded support, Art-Works will also offer more free or low-cost training opportunities to strengthen the arts community with workshops beginning Fall 2025.
BECKLES ANNIVERSARY In May 2025, Beckles Dancing Company (BDC) celebrated its 30th anniversary, cementing the organization’s continued presence in and profound impact on Dallas’s performing arts community. As a cornerstone of the local dance scene, BDC provides a unique creative platform that balances technical precision with soulful expression . Under the artistic direction of Loris Anthony Beckles , the company remains dedicated to ensuring accessibility through dance education and outreach, fostering an environment where movement serves as a powerful tool for community connection and inspiration.
KING CREATIVE ARTS EXPRESSIONS
King Creative Arts Expressions (KCAE) works to ensure that the arts are accessible avenues for healing , connection, and cultural enrichment for Dallas residents, with a focus on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). KCAE supports residents from youth to seniors through inclusive, music-based programs that promote health, intercultural connection, and social-emotional well-being. In 2025, KCAE, in partnership with the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, successfully relaunched programming for people with IDD. This effort resulted in a sold-out sensory-friendly performance at the Forest Park Branch library. Both the support received for the performance and the demand for tickets underscore the city’s need for inclusive arts and cultural opportunities that eliminate financial barriers to access, proving how important organizations like KCAE are to the success of the local arts ecosystem in Dallas.
GREATER DALLAS YOUTH ORCHESTRA The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra (GDYO) serves nearly 500 young musicians annually, providing an unparalleled educational experience that extends far beyond the classroom. GYDO's mission contributes to the vitality of Dallas's thriving arts ecosystem. The organization serves as a vital pipeline for the future of the performing arts in North Texas by bridging the gap between student ambition and professional mastery. Their work not only develops talented musicians but also cultivates the next generation of performing arts enthusiasts and advocates. The caliber of GDYO’s training was recently showcased on a global stage ; in July 2025 , the GDYO Clarinet Choir performed at the International Clarinet Association’s Annual Convention in Fort Worth, Texas.
The 2025 D’JAM Jazz Stroll transformed the Dallas Arts District into a premier hub for jazz, showcasing the city’s finest vocalists and instrumentalists, temporarily turning Flora Street into Dallas's own “Jazz Alley”. This free, family- friendly event invited the community to experience 12 live performances within 10 of Dallas’s most prestigious cultural spaces, creating an accessible and immersive celebration of our local musical heritage. The afternoon’s centerpiece was the presentation of the 2025 Jazz Legend Awards, honoring four individuals whose dedication has shaped the Dallas cultural landscape through jazz music. By celebrating these honorees alongside the day’s performances, the event bridged the gap between the genre’s storied legacy and its vibrant future. 2025 D’JAM JAZZ STROLL & JAZZ LEGEND AWARDS
2025 D’JAM SPONSORS
2025 D’JAM JAZZ LEGEND HONOREES Lynn Seaton | Jazz Artist
Duane Durrett | Jazz Educator Mary d’Etienne | Jazz Supporter Garry Williams | Jazz Innovator
The Sammons Center hosted its first-annual Artfully, Sammons Jazz Brunch , expanding our jazz programming and celebrating a shared vision for the future. It was an exceptional morning featuring supporting performances by Rebecca Cordes , Keron Jackson , Jocelyn Turner , and the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra , capped by a headlining performance from internationally acclaimed jazz violinist Scott Tixier . The event set an elegant, high-energy tone for the Center’s next chapter. LAUNCHING THE $1M CAMPAIGN The brunch served as a high-energy launchpad for our ambitious $1 million fundraising campaign , ignited by over $250,000 in challenge grants that immediately double the impact of every gift across our core mission areas: • Capital Upgrades: Modernizing our historic performance halls. • Artist Equity: Ensuring a permanent fund for competitive artist pay across Sammons Center concert series. • Education: Creating a full-year scholarship for a UNT post-graduate student to be distributed annually. • Sustainability: Providing the operational foundation to support Dallas artists for years to come. By blending philanthropy with the power of live jazz, the brunch reinforced our commitment to the artists, arts organizations, and audiences who make the North Texas cultural ecosystem thrive. A MILESTONE MORNING HEADLINE PERFORMANCE BY SCOTT TIXIER
SAMMONS CENTER FOR THE ARTS 2024-25 PRELIMINARY AUDITED FINANCIALS
6 % FUNDRAISING
9
%
$ 369,6OO $ 249,OOO
GRANTS & CONTRIBUTIONS | ARTS PROGRAMS & SERVICES | INVESTMENT & OTHER INCOME |
ADMINISTRATION
$ 23 , 3OO
OPERATION SUPPORT FROM ENDOWMENT | $ 571,7OO TOTAL REVENUE | $ 1,21 3 ,6OO
85 % ARTS PROGRAMS & SERVICES
& SERVICES |
$ 1,O35,4OO
ARTS PROGRAMS
FUNDRAISING | $ 75,2OO ADMINISTRATION | $ 1O3 ,OOO TOTAL EXPENSES | $ 1,21 3 ,6OO
ARTS PROGRAMS & SERVICES (85%)
ADMINISTRATION (9%)
FUNDRAISING (6%)
WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE
We are grateful for the dedicated volunteers who support the Sammons Center’s operations, including concerts, special events, and committee service and board membership. Please call (214)520-7788 or email info@sammonsartcenter.org if you are interested in volunteering.
Sammons Center members are a key reason for the success of our annual concert series, Sammons Jazz and Sammons Cabaret. As a “thank you” for our members’ support, the Center offers benefits such as discounted tickets and reserved seating. Memberships help sustain our music series and support the local performing arts community. See the Sammons Center website for more information or to become a member today. With over 58% of our operating budget provided by grants and contributions, community support is the backbone of our success. We are deeply grateful to the individuals, foundations, and agencies that empower us to sustain the local performing arts community. To help us grow, we invite you to consider a one-time or recurring contribution, stock transfer, or planned gift. Your generosity, whether through monetary gifts or in-kind donations, ensures the Sammons Center remains a vibrant home for Dallas artists.
The Sammons Center is among the top 25% of organizations that received the highest possible 4-star rating for its commitment to financial health and transparency, as recognized by Charity Navigator and Candid .
SAMMONS CENTER PARTNERS
FRIENDS OF THE SAMMONS CENTER
Carol & Mike Riddle C Beth Roberts Mark Robertson
Charitable Foundation Ginny Keeling Thomas Dianne Kennedy Germaine Kropilak Inner J. Lewis Jack Lewis & Alan Colvin Veletta & John Lill Barbara & Hank Lischer
John Dayton Daniel DeBarros
Lisa & Louis Deere Cindy & Joe Derrick Seema Deshpande Mary d’Etienne The Donachie Family Fund Glen Duncan Evelyn Dunn Kelly & Mary Durbin Edelman Financial Engines LLC Sharon Egan Carmen & Paul Elias Anita Engles Laura V. Estrada A. Evans-Andy Evey & Chip Fagadau Carol Farquhar Patty Feinstein Cecelia & Stanley Feld Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC Mary Jo & Bart Forbes Faynetta Fort & Paul O’Kelly Suzette & Scott Foster Nancy Franks Tracy Fulton Terri & Gary Fulton Galbreath Enterprises Barbara & Stowe Gardner Rob Garrett Read & Steve Gendler Judith & James Gibbs Liz & James Gilyard Karen & Ron Gooding Linda Goodson Pauline Graivier Parker Gray Jennifer & Brad Greenblunm Lizzy Greif Mary & Charles Griffith Cynthia & Ben Guill Susan & Michael Haddad Gayle & James Halperin Howard Hallam Family Foundation Sally & Dean Hamilton Sally Hansen
Elizabeth Routman Eleanor Roylance John Ruegsegger Ellen Koerber & Neil Saretsky Glenda Sarmiento Maggie & Felix Saucedo Rodney Schpok David Schulze & Seldon Short Kathleen Seacat Judy Sebesta Bonnie & Paul Sekin Carolyn & Robert Sherman Lesli & David Slater Texas Instruments Foundation
Richard Abramowicz & Dexter Worthy Joe Alexander John Alvarado Bruce & Lisa Anderson
Phil Loewy Mayra Long Betty & Jay W. Lorch Lindi Loy Tavenner Lupton Gita Mani Ann Margolin Bill Martin Amy Martin & Scooter Smith Laurie Martineau Gwynn & Wilson Mason Linda Mastaglio Kathryn & Tim McDonnell Janie & Cappy McGarr Stephanie & Jeffrey McLeod Curtis Medford & Harold Yates Astrid Merriman Mark L Meyer Ronald Miglini Belinda & Freddie Millener Lynn & John Minna Claire & Randy Mock Moody Foundation Deborah Muller & Thomas Jefferson Moran IV Murphy USA Karrison & Douglas Nichols Dino Noble & Kynia Redmond Barb Brooslin & Tom Noune Sal Olimpio Liz Oliphant Karol & Larry Omlor Brad Ozanne & Patricia Wheeler Heather Paterson, In Memory of Walter Pearson Marlene S Patterson Rene & Terri Peeters Debbie Perrone Nancy K Phillips, CPA Joe Pisecco Nancy & Chris Poinsatte Judy Pollock Jessie Ragsdale & Paul Gomez Joss & Audrey Rattan Lynn Reagan Michael Remsik Lynne Richardson Marian & Rob Richmond
Fran Anderson Gary Anderson Sheri Anderson Anonymous* (5) Erika & Humberto Antunes Carolyn J. Barta Zaida Basora Jean C Beasley Lori Anthony Beckles & Will Handy Ben E. Keith Foundation Benevity
Suzanne & Jamie Smith Debra & Ben Spencer Joanna & Ron St. Angelo LaRee Stein
Lori Bensing Joshua Black Shaunna Black Dianne & Tom Blakeney Katherine Bock Mary & William Boyd Millie & Allan Bradley Diane & Harold M. Brierley Barb Brooslin Price Burdine Erick Burgess Patricia & John Burruss
Helen & Frank Stevenson Patricia Stewart-Gordon Norma & Donald Stone John & Bonnie Strauss Foundation The Arts Community Alliance Mary Ann & John Tatum Barbara Taylor Kelly Tills Andrea & Aaron Tom Norma Tomlinson Frederick Tran & Stephen Oliver Marguerite Trapp
Heather L Carlile Liz Cedillo-Pereira Charles Schwab City of Dallas, Office of Arts and Culture Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District Deborah Ann Claiborne & Alan Slavsky Susan & Bill Collins Communities Foundation of Texas Michael Cook & Chris Campbell Suzi & Michael Cope Mary Jane & Richard Cox Cat & Tom Crandell Carol Crowe Betsy & Bennett Cullum DAFgiving360 The Dallas Foundation, Louise W. Kahn Endowment Fund The Dallas Foundation, Deedie Rose The Dallas Foundation, Helen and Frank Stevenson Fund Ann & Bill Dandridge Cole S. Davis
Joyce & Bob Trecartin Jeanne & Tom Tunks Sally Unger Lynn Vogt Peggy & Peter Walker Judy Watson
Mac Welch Jane Wetzel Patricia Wheeler Kim & Brian Williams Mark Williamson & Neil Schlager Doug Wilson Gina Wolk IN MEMORIUM Pauline Graivier passed away on July 24, 2025 Stan Levenson passed away on August 27, 2025 Linda Petty passed away on February 23, 2025 Norma Stone passed away on June 17, 2025 *Denotes multiple people
Susan S & T Hardie Mary & Tim Hardin Lanay N Hartmann Chris Heckert Jane & Dan Henn Gloria & James Ince Wendy & Michael Jenkins Carolyn Lee Jones Myra & Arlington Jones The Fannie & Stephen Kahn
STAY CONNECTED
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@Sammons_Center
SammonsCenterForTheArts
Make your impact today by donating at www.SammonsArtCenter.org or scanning the QR code
Buy tickets for the upcoming season at bit.ly/scaconcerts or scan the QR code!
OUR MISSION
We grow the arts by providing a welcoming home for artists and arts groups to innovate, collaborate, and thrive, enriching the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds.
3630 Harry Hines Boulevard | Dallas, Texas 75219 www.SammonsArtCenter.org | (214)520-7788 | Donate@SammonsArtCenter.org
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