The Greater Lewisville Arts Council began in 1981 as a committee of the Civic division of the Greater Lewisville Chamber of Commerce. R. L. Crawford, Jr., Chairman of the Board of the Lewisville Chamber of Commerce appointed ten committee members and named Mary Webb as chairman of the Cultural Arts Advisory Committee. By-Laws were adopted at the end of the year.
In 1982, Chairman of the Chamber, Ken Shropshire appointed R. L. Crawford, Jr. to serve a two year term as the first chairman of the Cultural Arts Council. The Chairman of the Arts Council served as a member of the Chamber Board of Directors and reported to the Chamber Executive Board. Because no arts agencies existed in 1982, the Arts Council was a presenting organization. This means that events were organized, produced, funded and chaired by board members. The Arts Council Board was made up of enthusiastic community leaders who were willing to share their time, talents and influence to make the arts possible in the greater Lewisville community.
As non-profit agencies began to emerge, the Council took on a supportive role of fundraising and acquiring funding for the arts agencies from the City of Lewisville Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenue. Many Arts Council board members served on the boards of the fledgling arts organizations. R. L. Crawford, Jr., served for five years as Chairman of the Poco Mas Players, now known as the Greater Lewisville Community Theatre. Diana McMillin was key to the organizing of the Lewisville Lake Symphony and still serves on the board today. Marilyn Nelson served on the community Chorus board, as well as the Symphony board.
In 1997, under the leadership of Dr. Shirley Faile, the Arts Council became the Greater Lewisivlle Arts Council Inc., a State of Texas non-profit corporation. Through her dilligent effort, a consultant was employed by the Arts Council to study the need for an Arts Center in the greater Lewisville community that resulted in bringing the need for a facility to the attention of the community and the City government.
In October 2000, GLAC signed the Promotion of the Arts Agreement with the City of Lewisville to receive and distribute Hotel Occupancy Fund grants to the arts organizations. In 2011, The City of Lewisville voted to form an Arts Advisory Board. Those grants are now handled through the City and the newly appointed board and any grant questions or applications should be directed to the City.
The Greater Lewisville Arts Council, now doing business as The Greater Lewisville Arts Alliance, promotes, proclaims and encourages the work of the arts agencys it sponsors and welcomes emerging arts agencys. Gracious volunteers give generously of their time, talent, and resources to provide the greater Lewisville community with the enjoyment of Broadway plays, blockbuster musicals, art exhibits, ballet theatre, children’s theatre and the music of the greatest maestros in the world.
The dream of an arts center has been realized but many new horizons filled with fundraising and support for the arts will continue.