The Dallas City Council has voted to withhold the funding to the Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT), which fired all of ten dancers of its main company in August, according to the local media reports.
On Monday 21 October 2024, City Council's Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee proposed a motion to pause the approval process for DBDT’s $248,435 grant after the Office of Arts and Culture presented its list of recommended organisations to receive contracts for the fiscal year of 2024–2025, the Dallas Observer newslaper and The Dallas Morning News reported. The committee approved the funding for 55 Dallas-based nonprofit art organisations for the fiscal year on the same day.
On Wednesday 23 October, the full council voted to pause the DBDT grant pending investigation, the newspapers said.
DBDT fired the ten dancers in August , saying an Instagram post posted by dancers weeks earlier violated the company policy. The dancers allege the mass firing was an act of union-busting.
The Dallas Observer says 14 performers were fired.