Just a few months ago, Clifton Crofford, executive director of SiNaCa Studios, was full of excitement about presenting a glass exhibition next May at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. But as of July 24, that plan has been placed on hold.
Earlier this week, Arts Fort Worth, the nonprofit managing this space at 1300 Gendy Street since 2002, announced it will no longer manage the building effective, Aug. 1, 2025.
The 77,000-square-foot structure itself has been in need of $30 million in repairs, that in essence left Arts Fort Worth holding the bag when it came to maintenance on the building.
“Arts Fort Worth, however, has lacked sufficient resources with which to fulfill this responsibility,” city staff reported to the Council in 2023, “and various components of the building have consequently fallen into disrepair.”
Originally built for the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, this building has been host to such stars as Zsa Zsa Gabor and Gordan MacRae, who were among the celebrities who turned out for the Scott Theater and Solarium grand opening in 1966.
Over the years, the property has been known as the Fort Worth Art Center, the Fort Worth Art Museum, and the Modern Art Museum, which moved into its stately building on Darnell Street in 2002.
Next May, this space was set to be host to a glass exhibition in conjunction with the international Glass Art Society Conference being hosted here in Fort Worth at SiNaCa Studios and the University of Texas Arlington.
This is one of many community art exhibitions that will have to find a new venue.
Stephen Montoya
Clifton Crofford, executive director of SiNaCa Studios.
“I am supportive of the decision made by Arts Fort Worth, and I am here ready to support them in any way that I can!” Crofford wrote in a text. “I encourage everyone who has been touched by the work they have done, to speak up and express their opinion on how the arts are funded in this city and to advocate for what they believe in!”
Crofford says he’s not surprised by the decision. He has been in attendance at many public and city council meetings regarding the building.
Last year, the city took proposals from developers after the task force, chaired by former City Councilman Leonard Firestone, recommended in June 2023 that the best path forward is redeveloping rather than renovating and restoring the structures in disrepair.
Garfield Public Private and Goldenrod Companies heeded the call, which was supposed to reimagine the property as a “world-class cultural hub.” After presenting their plans at a public meeting, neither firm was given the greenlight.
“While changes like this can feel surprising and concerning, Arts Fort Worth isn’t turning its back on the local arts community,” Arts Fort Worth executive director and president Wesley Gentle said in a statement. “We will focus on leading the growth of our arts ecosystem into an even more accessible, sustainable, and vibrant future.”
Crofford says he felt a great deal of optimism from Gentle’s statement and believes a positive result and success story will reveal itself in time.
“Knowing what I know about their situation and from facing our own financial challenges at SiNaCa, I feel like this outcome was inevitable,” Crofford added. “I think [it’s] a bold and brave move by Arts Fort Worth, and I think it was done with class, and that their leadership has done a great job facing such a substantial financial challenge."
Programming at this space will not cease abruptly. Instead, over the next few months things will shut down in phases beginning with the original works series, biennial exhibition, talks and workshops on Aug. 1 of this year. However, Fall Gallery Night and the Fringe Festival will still take place.
“Ultimately, repairing, maintaining, and managing this important 77,000 square foot public facility presented a significant challenge, and the cost of continuing its operations is now unsustainable,” Gentle said.
