Oak Cliff Society of Fine Arts

The Oak Cliff Society of Fine Arts Art + House Capital Campaign – Phase 2 received several grant awards in support of the restoration of the historic Turner House, built in 1912. Funders include the Summerlee Foundation, Eugene Straus Charitable Trust, Good Space Development, and the Hillcrest Foundation.

The Art + House Capital Campaign addresses priority repairs and renovations as identified by the board of directors with consultation with historic preservation and construction experts. The use of historic materials and methods requires the purchase of more expensive, high-quality materials such as wood and tiling, and more skilled contractors and artisans.

Turner House, as expected of a large home more than one hundred years old, badly needs significant and immediate infrastructural repairs, renovations, and additions to take the Society into the next 100 years of service. The Society’s home, the historic Turner House, provides the opportunity to celebrate the architecture and history of Texas, to promote further study of Texas historic architectural events and events, to provide space to showcase visual and performing artists, and offer a community gathering space. The Society’s goal is to reach an ever-broadening audience looking for ways to engage creatively, explore shared histories, and actively connect with their communities – a 21st century version of the Turner House builder who hosted art and cultural events at his home with the local orchestra performing on the front balcony for everyone to hear.