TACA Arts Insider with Emma Vernon
In what ways did participating in the TACA Arts Accelerator help shape the growth of The Cedars Union and influence your journey as an arts leader?
It’s been a remarkable joy to lead The Cedars Union at such a pivotal moment. It’s gratifying to see what we’ve accomplished with our initial seed funding: by listening closely to artists, we developed and tested a unique bundle of programming and services designed to help them thrive. Safe, affordable studios; access to professional-grade tools; a collaborative community; education that treats artists as entrepreneurs — these are the tools to build sustainable creative careers here in Dallas.
The incredible gift of the historic neighboring Boedeker Building meant several things. First, we will be able to dramatically expand our efforts to meet quickly growing demand and create a permanent home for artists in the heart of Dallas. Second, it’s urgent for us to bring new supporters and leaders to the table in order to sustain and grow this successful model. Third, we needed to level up, and quickly: staff, board, and infrastructure. Enter the TACA Arts Accelerator, at exactly the right moment. The program brought concentrated expertise we couldn’t have accessed otherwise, connected us with peers and generous mentors, and guided us through a strategic planning process that sharpened our vision.
For me as a leader, it was a reminder that investing in our own growth isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. The Accelerator challenged me to think more boldly, plan more rigorously, and connect more intentionally, equipping me to guide CU through both opportunity and uncertainty.
Where did your love for the arts first take root? Was there a particular moment or experience that sparked it?
About a month into my first college art history course, Dr. Louis Waldman leapt onto a table. He was teaching about Medici Florence, and I’d only enrolled because its deeply political nature meant the credits counted toward my government degree. At the time, I was certain my future was in public service through politics, and I was focused on learning how to understand, support, and organize societies to better serve people.
I don’t remember the exact passage that inspired his passionate recitation, but I remember how vividly he conveyed the way art shaped, and was shaped by, that society. In that moment, something clicked: the same way laws, policies, and civic action can steer the course of a culture, so can art. In fact, art often speaks first, capturing the hopes, fears, and complexities of a time in a way nothing else can.
That realization reframed everything for me. Artists hold up a mirror to the world, offering us ways to see one another, to share joy and beauty, and to wrestle with our most difficult truths. In moments of upheaval or change, art doesn’t just reflect society, it helps us shape our next chapter. That was as true in 15th-century Florence as it is in Dallas today, and it’s why my work now is dedicated to making sure artists have the space, tools, and support they need to do it.
Plus, I really love color.
Was there a standout arts moment in Dallas this past year that really stood out to you? What made it memorable?
I’m going to cheat and choose two – both things I make sure not to miss every year. AURORA’s Video Art Night in the spring turned the AT&T Discovery District into an open-air video gallery and it just buzzed with energy. The crowd was engaged, curious, and joyful. It featured works by artists from across the country, including Christina Hahn, one of our own Cedars Union artists. Seeing her work on the 104-foot media wall, in conversation with national peers and with the city itself, was a moment of pride for The CU and a testament to the caliber of artists Dallas produces.
Vignette Art Fair, which features a curated selection of work by women artists working in Texas, is always a highlight of my year. Each edition brings a fresh curatorial voice, this past year led by the Dallas Museum of Art’s Vivian Li, and with it, a new lens on the breadth of work being made here by women. It’s one of the rare shows where you can count on encountering both exceptional emerging talent and more established voices, often at price points that make collecting accessible (yes, even on a nonprofit salary!).
If you’re planning ahead: the next Vignette Art Fair is coming up – I strongly suggest getting tickets to the Preview Benefit on October 2, especially if you might want to purchase work, which gets snapped up quickly.
What does being part of Dallas’ arts community mean to you, both personally and professionally?
For me, it means being part of building an arts ecosystem, brick by brick. Dallas loves to call itself an arts city, but we’re still in the process of weaving the arts into the DNA of this community. That work takes all of us, coming at it from every angle and raising our expectations for what art can be here.
It looks like welcoming and mentoring new collectors, supporting our libraries as places of creative inspiration, genuinely embracing the city’s beautiful cultural diversity, inviting artists from other places to visit and work here. It also means recognizing that philanthropic engagement is essential, as is creating paid opportunities for artists by integrating art into our projects. We can and should expect more from the art in our offices, the murals on our walls, the architecture we build, and so much more. It’s an ongoing project, and I’m honored to share the work with so many wonderful people.
Personally, this community has given me and my husband, Chance, lifelong friendships, inspiration, and a front-row seat to the courage and ingenuity of Dallas artists. Sharing my love of the arts with my partner and growing together through those experiences is one of the great joys of my life here.
Professionally, it means getting to collaborate with incredibly talented, passionate, and generous people who understand that success in one corner of the arts ripples through many others. There’s a shared sense that we’re building a cultural legacy that will define Dallas for generations. That’s a challenge and a privilege I carry with me every day.
Emma Vernon serves as Executive Director of The Cedars Union, a Dallas-based nonprofit arts incubator offering studio space, tools, and resources to help artists grow their practice. Under her leadership, the organization participated in the 2024/2025 TACA Arts Accelerator.