(The Dallas Examiner) – The Black Academy of Arts and Letters unveiled plans for an innovative renovation and expansion during a press briefing, July 28. The $250 million expansion project for TBAAL, “The home where the arts and artists thrive and grow,” will be a part of Component 4 of the $3.7 billion Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center reconstruction project.

The convention center is located at 650 S. Griffin St. The TBAAL entrance is at 1309 Canton St.

TBAAL is a four-time Emmy award-winning, nationally recognized multi-discipline arts institute. It presents more than 100 programs each year, including its annual Riverfront Jazz Festival. It also educates and trains youth in music, dance, theatre, costume design, make-up, lighting, stage management, photography and film/video.

“The project is a long-term economic development initiative for the city that will resonate for years to come,” Rosa Fleming, executive director of Convention and Event Services for the city of Dallas, stated on the KBHCC website.

Culture and artistry are vital components that make up the city’s Black community. This expansion will be an opportunity for the cultural powerhouse that is TBAAL to lengthen its reach into the Southern Sector and beyond.

Goals for the transformation, according to architectural firm KAI, include:

• Modernization while preserving its cultural integrity.
• Expanding spaces for cultural exhibitions and educational programs.
• Making cultural experiences more accessible to the community.

“The city of Dallas remains committed to empowering the next generation of artists, storytellers and leaders. And we understand that that starts with also a commitment to invest,” City Manager Kim Tolbert said at the briefing.

“TBAAL is proof that when we connect, collaborate and communicate, there is no limit to what we can do. As your city manager, I want you to know that TBAAL and the city of Dallas – we share an invincible partnership.”

TBAAL partners with the Dallas Independent School District to host education programs for students throughout the year, most notably, an annual three-week summer arts institute enrichment program.

“Because of the training that TBAAL provided in this particular program, it became a key pathway to prepare many of our students to successfully be accepted to the renowned Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. As you all know, Booker T. Washington students become some of the most revered students in the country and around the world,” shared Joe Carreon, Dallas ISD School Board president.

Pamela Lear, Deputy Superintendent Dallas ISD, noted the power of the arts’ performances and purpose. She said one doesn’t have to be an artist to feel deeply inspired by the performances at TBAAL.

Diane Ragsdale was one of the original seven Dallas City Council members who voted in favor of TBAAL obtaining a permanent space at KBHCC in the late 1980s. Prior to that time, TBAAL had been in several different temporary locations.

“Why was it so critical to find a permanent home for TBAAL? Because space is not just a place. It’s power. TBAAL has provided a vital platform for artists to showcase their work. TBAAL has preserved and elevated African American history and culture, and it has inspired generations to the arts,” Ragsdale said.

Dikita Enterprises, a Black family-owned engineering consulting firm, will be responsible for overseeing the entire TBAAL renovation project.

Additionally, KAI, a Black-owned national architectural firm, is a part of the joint venture that has been procured to work on the project. Management representatives from KAI explained how they plan to preserve the rich history of TBAAL throughout the deconstruction and reconstruction process.

“It’s not just about building, but it’s about the beacon. TBAAL is a space where culture breathes, creativity thrives and legacy lives. We’re here today to talk about how we’re reimagining this space with purpose, honoring the past, activating the present, and stepping into the future,” said architect Brien Graham, the civic, municipal and cultural market leader at KAI.

“We’re not replacing TBAAL’s history. We’re building on it.”

Darren James, president of KAI, outlined the vision that the company has for the future of TBAAL.

“KAI believes in transforming communities, and one of the things that we recognize is that we’re honored, humbled and excited to be a part of this TBAAL project,” James said.

Access, renovation and connection are some of the key focus areas included in the design project. Some of the improvements that students and patrons can expect to see are improved functionality of theater acoustics and gallery exhibits. Technology-centered creative labs will be added for students, with space for mentorship and training.

Eva Williams, president and CEO of Dikita, stated that project accomplishments to date include the coordination of the TBAAL move-out from KBHCC and move-in to a temporary space at The Women’s Museum located at Fair Park, collaboration with city officials and community stakeholders, and initial designs.

It is anticipated that TBAAL will begin operating from the re-constructed facility in December 2028, a date that was extended due to the FIFA World Cup tournament scheduled taking place in June 2026 at the convention center. The visionaries behind this project foresee many more national and global events being brought to the new and improved KBHCC, connecting people from all over the world to TBAAL.

“TBAAL won’t just physically exist on the corner of Canton and Akard. It will thrive at the crossroads of culture and connectivity as a doorway from the Cedars in South Dallas to imagination and to possibility,” Graham said.