Sammons Center For The Arts

The Sammons Center for the Arts, originally constructed in 1908 as the Turtle Creek Pump Station, has evolved into a vital arts incubator in Dallas, Texas. The building, which ceased operations as a pump station in 1930, was abandoned by 1959. In 1981, the City of Dallas awarded a lease to a group of arts supporters led by Jo Kurth Jagoda, forming the Turtle Creek Center for the Arts. Renovations began in 1983, and the building reopened in 1988 as the Sammons Center for the Arts, named after principal benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Sammons. The Center provides low-cost office, rehearsal, and performance space to 16 resident arts organizations and over 100 groups annually. It supports the arts community with shared administrative resources, professional development, and subsidized rent. The building is recognized as a Dallas Landmark, Texas Historic Landmark, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A Legacy Campaign in 2010 raised $5 million for critical repairs and an endowment, ensuring the Center's ongoing support for the arts.