Spotlight On: Warren Tranquada, President & CEO, AT&T Performing Arts Center
August 2024 — Invest: sat down with Warren Tranquada, president and CEO of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, to discuss the importance of diversity and representation in the performing arts, how the center collaborates with other local organizations, and what to look forward to in its upcoming season.
What have been the most significant achievements for the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the last year?
Most significantly, we’ve greatly diversified our audience and increased the number of performances and attendees. We saw a growth in touring concerts of over 50% in just one year. We achieved this by focusing on reaching new audiences with more diverse content and increasing the number of bookings both on and off our campus.
We also implemented a new website, which is easier to navigate. It’s faster to make a purchase and, most importantly, it does a better job of highlighting all of the events we promote, including those we present and those of our resident companies.
What are you looking forward to in the upcoming season?
In 2024-25, I’m very excited about all the great Broadway touring productions coming to the Winspear Opera House. These include the musicals Ain’t Too Proud about the Temptations, and The Addams Family. And with our partner Broadway Dallas, we’ll have Come From Away and the Dallas premiere of Life of Pi.
Also, we have some highly unique immersive experiences throughout the season, including an extended run in the spring of an experience that will be thought-provoking and unusual – stay tuned. Our presenting partner TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND always features a slate of top dance companies in its seasons. Our resident companies fill our stages year-round, and our Elevator Project productions spotlight the best of small, emerging and historically marginalized Dallas arts organizations and artists.
How did the collaboration with the Dallas Theater Center for a Public Works production of The Little Mermaid come about, and what are your expectations for this production?
Dallas Theater Center is one of our resident companies, and we came on as co-producers of Public Works when it launched in 2017. Public Works is so special as it completely engages hundreds of Dallas residents – many from marginalized communities – who became the cast and chorus for these colorful musical productions. It is not unusual to see three generations of a family in these shows. They work with a handful of professional actors and become part of creating the art, not just watching it in an audience. It helps people build confidence and find their voices, whether they’re in a major role or in the chorus. We’re proud of this partnership because it allows each organization to contribute what we do best, and together, we can achieve something ambitious that we couldn’t have done alone.
What are some of the center’s community engagement programs, and how do you support local talent and inclusivity?
Our most significant community engagement programs are our ArtsBridge programs, impacting West Dallas (sponsored by Toyota) and South Dallas. We partner with community organizations in these areas, which have not historically had significant access to the arts, so we’re providing cultural experiences both in their community, and here on our campus. These can be concerts, craft programs for kids, dance classes for seniors, arts education programs and so much more. Additionally, our award-winning arts education programs work with Dallas and Richardson schools to provide access and create participation in the arts. We also support working artists through the Elevator Project, helping seed new works each year and providing space and marketing support to present their creative ideas.
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What are some key challenges the center has faced in recent years, and how has it addressed them?
Coming out of COVID, people’s attitudes toward live performing arts have changed. People are more selective now, requiring us to raise the bar in terms of the experience we offer. For example, we opened a new cantina on campus to provide new food and beverage options and create engagement beyond performances. We’ve also reached out to audiences that haven’t traditionally come to the center through programming aimed at new audiences, which has been quite successful. Additionally, we’re facing challenges from deceptive websites and fraudulent ticket brokers, which mislead customers and mark up ticket prices. We’re working with legislators to pass legislation to regulate the secondary ticketing market and improve transparency.
What is the role of technology and digital transformation in enhancing the center’s offerings and promoting audience engagement?
Our primary effort with technology is to improve the ticket-buying experience through our website, social media, and paid search, helping people find relevant entertainment options. With the increase in programming diversity, there’s more choice, and technology can help guide customers to what they need.
How do you ensure the facilities are maintained and upgraded to provide the best experience while preserving its uniqueness?
While the city of Dallas owns our venues and campus, AT&T Performing Arts Center is the steward and responsible for the care. Several years ago, we began building a fund to start addressing major repair and maintenance needs, especially as we marked our 15th anniversary. We have been doing this in partnership with the city of Dallas. The city provides an annual operating grant for general maintenance and utilities, and recently Dallas voters passed a bond initiative that provides significant funding for maintenance of existing venues. That includes $13M for all of the Center’s facilities. This is a public-private partnership that has seen a great return on investment for the community.
What is the importance of donor and sponsor support in sustaining the center’s operations and programming?
We couldn’t do what we do without donor support. Funds from the philanthropic community underwrite our community programs, maintain our buildings, and ensure we maintain the professionalism demanded by our customers. Earned income from ticket sales and other fees only covers about 60% of our needs; the rest comes from contributed income.
Looking to the future, what are some goals and projects the center is planning, and what are you particularly excited about?
I’m excited about increasing our audience, creating better experiences, and welcoming more people to the center. We’re really stepping into immersive programming on a number of levels. We’ve had a dance company that brought audiences directly into the work, with an intimate experience. We had a large winter wonderland called Camp Christmas at the center throughout December that engaged thousands of visitors of all ages. And in the spring we’re looking to bring a highly immersive experience from Australia that promises to take this art form to a new level.
What do you see as the long-term future of performing arts in Dallas, and how is the AT&T Performing Arts Center positioning itself to lead in that future?
I’m very optimistic about the role of the arts in Dallas’s future. It now is part of the city’s DNA. Dallas has the largest arts district in the country and a vibrant scene of small and large organizations that produce and bring in top-tier art, and a strongly supportive city government invested in its success. I see great potential for young and small organizations to grow and define the city as an artistic hub. This can be a significant competitive advantage for Dallas and the broader region.
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