Strong Commitment to the Arts Evident Throughout Tyler
arts, culture, mildred witte, texas arts commission,
A strong arts community brings vitality to a region – and that’s one reason Tyler is such a stimulating place to live and work.
No fewer than 30 active arts organizations have their headquarters in and around the city‚ ranging from the East Texas Storytellers to the Tyler Museum of Art.
“You can tell a strong community by what’s growing in it‚ and support for the arts just indicates so much about our area‚” says Mildred Witte‚ a Tyler resident who serves on the Texas Arts Commission.
Arts organizations not only sponsor culturally enriching exhibitions and performances‚ they also attract a “creative class” of residents‚ Witte says. Those residents‚ in turn‚ bring new ideas and business concepts to the community.
“The fact that arts support is increasing in Tyler is a sign of its future economic strength and desirability‚ as well‚” Witte says.
The East Texas Symphony Orchestra is one of the region’s oldest continuing arts organizations‚ dating to 1936. The symphony has 62 core members and performs regularly at the Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center on the University of Texas at Tyler campus.
Its season includes a subscription series of concerts‚ as well as special performances for school groups‚ preschoolers and seniors.
“We are trying always to reach a diverse population and make the experience audience-friendly‚” says Nancy Wrenn‚ executive director for the orchestra.
Tyler Civic Theatre evolved from the Tyler Little Theatre‚ founded in 1927. The community theater troupe produces several live plays and musicals each year at the Braithwaite Theatre and offers additional performances at Rogers Children’s Theatre‚ built in 1951 as the nation’s first theater designed specifically for in-the-round performances.
The Tyler Museum of Art‚ adjacent to the Tyler Junior College campus‚ has drawn national recognition for exhibits ranging from sculpture and photography to early modern Texas art.
“We have been recognized as one of the best small-town art museums in Texas‚” says Jan McCauley‚ of the museum’s marketing staff. “We have more than 700 pieces in our permanent collection and host a variety of traveling exhibitions.”
The mission of Ballet Tyler is to bring high-level dance to East Texas and provide performance experience for talented young dancers in the area.
The dance company produces an annual Spring Ballet and participates in other performances throughout the community. Full-length ballets performed by Ballet Tyler include “Coppelia‚” “Giselle” and “Swan Lake.”
Opera fans will enjoy attending Longview Opera‚ a year-round professional company whose performances combine local and national talent and a full orchestra.
Budding musicians may want to join the Tyler Youth Orchestra‚ which works with youngsters in fourth grade and up to teach them the basics of playing in an orchestral ensemble.
Other arts organizations in the area include the Tyler Chamber Chorale‚ ArtsView Children’s Theatre‚ Texas Shakespeare Festival‚ Tyler and Co. Dance and the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts. A full list of arts organizations with links to their Web sites is available at www.arteasttexas.com.
“Tyler has an enthusiastic interest in the arts and in artistic people‚” Witte says.
“We have fine arts programming 24-hours a day on KTPB-FM‚ and even the school district has an arts magnet school. You just know it’s a place you want to live if the arts are strong.”
Story by Renee Elder
Photo by Antony Boshier
