2026 FAIR ARTISTS

I have lived in Dallas over 20 years and in my youth I went to Deep Ellum to dance all night! Now I go for the food and the art.

To me, Deep Ellum represents the resilience of creative communities. While I’m not from Texas, I know what it means to be part of an artistic community that bands together in crisis. I’ve dug fellow artists’ work from the mud, brought meals to studios with no power for months, raised funds for those who lost everything, and cried alongside friends as we rebuild. This solidarity transformed me. I stopped creating for just myself and I am creating for the healing of others.

Dallas punk

When I was younger, Deep Ellum showed me that if I worked hard enough, I could make a career in drawing, just like the amazing artists I saw at the very 1st Deep Ellum Art Festival I attended.

Deep Ellum is rich in live music. Live music as well as the stories the artists tell are our inspiration.

A fun place to unwind from the stressful chaos of life. A place that connects me with the roots of Texas and brings a joy of small local business in my day to day life.

Deep Ellum is the heart of the art scene for the DFW area, and particularly for Dallas.

For the past 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of selling my artwork at the Deep Ellum Art Festival, and during that time, I’ve developed a deep and lasting connection to the area. I’ve seen Deep Ellum through its highs and lows, and even though I don’t live in Dallas, it feels like a second home. I have family living there, many of my collectors are there, and I’ve spent so much time walking those streets that I know them like the back of my hand. I proudly wear my Deep Ellum hoodies and tank tops wherever I go, sharing the story of this unique and vibrant community with the world. I’ve always advocated for Deep Ellum because it

Deep Ellum is a corridor of fun, a place to let loose and grab a bite to eat before a show. I pass through there weekly when I go get groceries and it’s impossible not to look at the people lining the block, wondering what band is in town. Before I even moved down here I went to see shows here, like the Dandy Warhols, and was thankful that I got to see J. Roddy Waldron & the Business at trees before they broke up. It’s a continuous source of cultural expression and is a sorely needed voice in the metroplex.

It is the exact place I think of when I think about becoming big in the art world.

I live in the area and was invited to exhibit at the 2023 Deep Ellum Festival. Lots of fun and hope to do it again!

Creative energy! And again, the smiles were what I noticed the most in Deep Ellum. Everyone’s just happy to be a part of it!

I'm originally from South Louisiana and am excited to revisit the vibrant southern culture that made me who I am today.

Means home and family. I have lived in Deep Ellum for over 14 years and now live in the Cedars but have always called Deep Ellum home.

Deep Ellum is one of the few islands of sanity in a more and more complex world. A sanctuary in a more and more divided world. To me it is a place that shows the world that there can be communion, tolerance and peace. A place where everyone can feel welcome. As the world changes so too Deep Ellum changes but at the heart it will always be an oasis of peace.

Deep Ellum is a unique place with a thriving creative community. Whenever I visit Dallas I feel a draw to be in Deep Ellum because of this artistic community. I want more of this is Waco, and this is why I’m committed to promoting the artis in my home town.