The South Dallas Cultural Center is breaking down barriers and empowering local talent by offering free recording studio time to residents. This innovative initiative aims to provide young artists with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the music industry, while also fostering a sense of community and creativity within the neighborhood.
South Dallas was once a premiere host for the performing artists. Theaters like the Forest Theatre drew crowds from across the city, hosting renowned performers like Tina Turner, Prince, Gladys Knight and local talent alike. However, a local producer and engineer says one major issue for recording artists from Dallas is that there has never been a central meeting place for local talent to meet, collaborate, develop and grow.
“Dallas has always lacked a music hub, even though there were individuals who broke through ,” said Kandon Phillips, a Producer and Engineer who works with artists out of the South Dallas Cultural Center recording studio. “I feel like one of the reasons is because there hasn’t been a studio to support the local talent in the way it needed to be supported. That is what I would love South Dallas Cultural Center to be.”
Phillips also attributed the city’s creativity-drain to the lack of investment in arts education across the nation, including within school districts like Dallas Independent. “There’s always talent in the hood. But is it cultivated?” Much like the rest of the nation’s historically creative hubs, as the city’s priorities shifted and arts education funding dwindled, the cultural landscape of South Dallas and other historically artist hubs began to change.
Across the country, underfunded schools and communities faced a stark reality: the absence of art. The decline of arts education funding in the U.S. has roots dating back to the mid-20th century. However, a significant decline began in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly with the rise of standardized testing and a focus on core academic subjects like math and reading.
Then, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 further emphasized standardized testing, leading to reduced funding for arts programs in many schools. This trend continued into the 21st century, with budget cuts affecting arts education at both the state and local levels.
As a result, the decline of these arts institutions left a void in the community, limiting opportunities for young artists and diminishing the neighborhood’s cultural vibrancy. From Los Angeles to Chicago and Memphis, the arts, once a cornerstone of education and community, are often the first casualties of budget cuts. Students, once inspired by the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Nipsey Hussle, now find fewer opportunities to channel their creativity.
Closer to home, South Dallas has also faced its share of challenges when it comes to arts education. But, recognizing the importance of access to creative opportunities, the South Dallas Cultural Center has taken a proactive approach to addressing this issue.
According to John Spriggins, the General Manager of the South Dallas Cultural Center, the center’s extensive creative programming has already had a significant impact on the community – providing much-needed resources for local creatives. “We have the unique benefit of and opportunity to have a studio that we can make available to the public in most cases at no cost or low cost. This creates the chance for the community to use the space for various projects like voiceover, podcasting, music recording, etc.”
John says that while “the recording studio is only one of many spaces SDCC makes available to the public,” as the center also boasts “an art studio, black box theater, dance studio, art gallery, workshop, and other auxiliary spaces,” “it was important to reignite the recording studio”.. “With limited options and potentially cost-prohibitive fees for professional recording space, SDCC’s recording studio provides a way for creatives to execute the projects needed to realize their potential,” he said.
With city leadership behind the initiative, more consistency behind the engineering boards, growing community support, and the booming interest of local talent in the studio, SDCC’s offering of free recording time aims to empower young people and provide them with a glimpse into the world of professional music production. According to Phillips, this program is about more than just the tracks, but also the business of music.
“This is the full experiment coming to life… We’ve done it previously for two months earlier this year and it was very successful. Studio time was booked almost immediately and it created a surplus or artist and musicians wanting to come use the studio.” – Kandon Phillips
The free studio time initiative has already empowered several local artists. For example, Christian Johnson used the studio to record, tapping into a passion he’d had for years. Phillips says that the successful business owner and entrepreneur went from “this is cool” to “this is what I want to do with my life,” after recording. “It has definitely become a passion and a love and allowed him to invest more time into his dream.”
Another artist, Hailee Dyer, was able to develop her skills in music production and engineering, leading to her first one-woman show, Far from Home. “She did that in the South Dallas Cultural Center,” said Phillips who said Dyer also received an Adidas partnership where she became the face of a campaign for Dallas sneaker landmark, Sneaker Politics.
During a recent visit to the South Dallas Cultural Center recording studio by the Dallas Weekly, two artists, Alexander McCoy, a recording artist and photographer from Dallas, and JaRich, who recently moved from New Jersey to Dallas to further his music career and launch his music education nonprofit, stopped by to work with Phillips. Their presence highlights the studio’s impact on local talent and potential as a musical meeting place for artists looking to collaborate.
This initiative not only provides a space for creative expression but also exposes young people to industry professionals and the technical aspects of music production. “It’s not just limited to rappers, singers, or whatever,” said Phillips. “I’m more than happy to share my knowledge on recording, mixing and all of the facets of a studio. Even PR, outside of the studio, relationships. We need all of these people coming out of Dallas.”
Now, with the revitalization of projects like the Forest Theatre, South Dallas is poised to reclaim its artistic heritage. By investing in arts education and supporting local talent, the community is working to restore its cultural legacy and inspire a new generation of artists. In the meantime, South Dallas Cultural Center is helping to bridge the gap between resource starved artists and the broader creative industry.
“I just want people to know that we’re here,” Phillips says. “Not only do they have a very well put together studio, but they also have a theatre and a place to put on events. And all of it is free.” The South Dallas Cultural Center’s free studio time initiative is a step in the right direction, providing a much-needed platform for local talent to thrive. By empowering young artists and fostering a sense of community, the center is helping to shape the future of South Dallas and beyond.
This article is brought to you in partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal and Word In Black.