by David Moreno of the Fort Worth Report, KERA News
Are you a Fort Worth business owner or resident who has struggled to connect with local artists for projects? A new digital platform is prepared to fill that gap.
Arts Fort Worth, the nonprofit organization that manages the city’s public art and grant programs and serves as a resource for artists, has rolled out the free online network Culturalyst: Fort Worth. The digital directory was announced during the inaugural Arts Forward summit March 29 at Texas Wesleyan University.
Culturalyst is designed to make it easier to contact, discover and support artists, organizations and opportunities. Fort Worthians are able to browse local profiles and search specific artists or disciplines to find what they are looking for. Filter keywords include fashion, music, visual, performing and writing.
The digital platform is already available across four states, including Connecticut, Louisiana and Missouri. Fort Worth is the first city to bring the platform to Texas.
Wesley Gentle, executive director and president of Arts Fort Worth, said the idea to fund Culturalyst locally came after community leaders found a need for a central hub that serves both artists and residents. There hasn’t been a digital directory like it before, he added.