TACA Arts Insider with Kristy and Raymond Faus
What first inspired you to get involved in philanthropy, and how has that journey shaped the way you give today?
Our journey into philanthropy began with a desire to give back in ways that felt personal and meaningful. Having faced my own struggles with mental health, I understand how powerful it is to have support, hope, and a sense of community. That perspective continues to shape the way Raymond and I give — not just financially, but with time, heart, and intention.
Working with organizations like Nexus Family Recovery Center and United Way has deepened that understanding. We’ve come to see philanthropy not as charity, but as partnership, with purpose. It’s about walking alongside people, helping lift them up, and expanding access to healthcare, education, and the arts.
Today, Raymond and I give through the lens of impact and inclusion. We are especially drawn to causes that champion women, children, and individuals navigating mental health challenges. More than anything, we want each gift to open a door to opportunity, healing, and possibility that might otherwise remain closed.
How do you see the relationship between the arts and mental health, and what opportunities do you think this connection creates?
We see the arts as a vital bridge between emotional expression and deep healing — something that traditional treatment alone can’t always reach. Whether it’s visual art, music, movement, or theater, creative experiences help us process trauma, ease anxiety, and connect to something larger than ourselves. For those struggling with their mental health, the arts offer moments of beauty, reflection, and hope — sometimes even before words are possible.
Raymond and I have witnessed how the arts can open hearts and create powerful moments of self-discovery. One especially moving example came through our work with Nexus Family Recovery Center. Nexus recently received a generous ticket donation to a performance by Bruce Wood Dance, allowing clients to experience the wonder of live dance, many for the first time. Their reactions — visibly moved and emotionally stirred — were a profound reminder that the arts can reach parts of the soul that conventional therapies often miss. It gave them space to feel, reflect, and be inspired.
That same sense of wonder is something we hope to pass on to our grandchildren. We’ve introduced them to live performances through organizations like the Dallas Children’s Theater, where storytelling comes to life in its most vivid form. Seeing their eyes light up as the curtain rises reminds us how the arts nurture imagination, empathy, and emotional intelligence — even from an early age.
The arts offer opportunities to foster intergenerational bonds, build community, and awaken one’s sense of self. Whether it’s a child discovering their love of performance or an adult in recovery reclaiming their inner value and voice, the impact is transformational and lasting. Supporting the arts isn’t just about entertainment — it’s about investing in the human spirit.
What do you hope your support of TACA helps make possible in our community?
What we hope our support of TACA makes possible is a more emotionally connected and inclusive community — one where the arts are not reserved for a few, but accessible to all. Because the arts are more than entertainment. They are a language of healing, of hope, of identity — and they play a vital role in mental and emotional well-being.
We’ve seen what can happen when someone silenced by trauma or struggle encounters a piece of art that speaks to them. A woman in recovery sits in a theater and feels seen for the first time in years. A child discovers a character who looks like them and begins to imagine a new future full of possibility. A young artist realizes their voice matters. That kind of connection is powerful and deeply human.
Creative expression gives people a way to process, to reflect, and to be heard. That’s why access matters. And it’s also why supporting the people who bring that art to life — artists, performers, educators, and those behind the scenes — is just as important. Their work creates the space for those transformative experiences, and they deserve to be valued, uplifted, and sustained.
For us, supporting TACA means supporting the deeper purpose of the arts: to heal, to include, to awaken. It’s a way to champion the artists whose work invites us to feel more, connect more, and imagine what’s possible — not just on stage, but in our lives. We’ve seen how the arts can open emotional doors, build resilience, and offer a kind of restorative power that reaches where traditional approaches cannot. We believe that to support the arts is to honor the human journey — one that moves through healing, seeks belonging, and thrives on compassion and creative expression.
Kristy and Raymond Faus embrace the belief that the arts can open us up — to emotion, to self-understanding, and to each other. Their philanthropy is rooted in personal experience and a commitment to inclusion, with a focus on advocating for women, children, and those facing mental health challenges.
Through their work with organizations like Nexus Family Recovery Center, United Way, and TACA, they aim to open doors to opportunity, restoration, and a sense of belonging. Whether it’s helping a woman in recovery feel seen or giving a child their first glimpse of the stage, the Faus family supports the arts as a bridge to connection and wellbeing for everyone.