Looking to explore Dallas art? It can be difficult to know where to start. Visiting a city’s art galleries is a good way to get a sense of a place’s personality and maybe even take a painting home. To help, we’ve assembled this guide to the city’s best galleries. Check each gallery’s website for details on upcoming exhibition openings, which can be the best way to visit the spaces for the first time. September is the month most art spaces in the city come alive, so this is a good time to dip your toes into the scene.
Hit the city classics
Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden
The oldest gallery in the city also happens to be its most scenic. Valley House is located on a 4.5 acre, tree-laden property in North Dallas and it’s a perfect location for a lazy Saturday afternoon stroll. The gallery itself exhibits work that fits into the space –think rich colors, tranquil landscapes, and art that is generally easy on the eye. 6616 Spring Valley Rd.
Conduit Gallery
Nancy Whitenack started Conduit Gallery 40 years ago in a live/work space in Deep Ellum. Over the past few decades, she’s established herself as one of the city’s most reputable gallerists. The gallery features a variety of emerging and established artists, some of whom have been on her roster since the early years. Whether you’re looking to scoop a dining room-friendly piece or explore new voices in the regional art scene, Conduit Gallery is a reliable stop. 1626 C Hi Line Dr.
Barry Whistler Gallery
If you want to get a glimpse of the Dallas aesthetic, add Barry Whistler Gallery to your must-visit list. You’ll be hard pressed to find a gallery with a more impressive roster of artists, local and national, than Barry Whistler. A few years ago, the space moved from its longtime home in East Dallas to the Design District where it continues to show a reliable lineup of artists who are defining the city’s visual sensibilities. 315 Cole St., Ste. 120
Shop Local
Kettle Art Gallery
Many a Dallas resident has bought their first work of art at Kettle Art Gallery. One of the only artistic holdouts in Deep Ellum, Frank Campagna and Paula Harris are not just neighborhood staples, they are Dallas legends. In the 80’s, Campagna was a young artist creating murals throughout the neighborhood and now he stocks his gallery with art that toes the line between intellectually serious and totally rad (Who says you can’t be both?) Don’t miss the gallery’s annual fundraiser “For the Love of Kettle,” at which you can scoop a 9’x12’ piece by the likes of Richard Ross, Corey Godfrey, or Justin Clumpner for just $50. 2650-B Main St.
Ro2 Art
Since 2010, mother-son duo Susan and Jordan Roth have run one of the city’s most consistently off-the-wall gallery programs. The gallery itself has changed locations over the years, landing most recently in the neighborhood being branded as the Tin District (cough, West Dallas, cough). But if you want a gallery with an edge, Ro2 Art is the space for you. This is the kind of gallery that’s not afraid to take risks, many of which pay off. The work is rebellious and sometimes a bit zany. Don’t misunderstand though, it’s still art you’ll want to hang on your walls. 2606 Bataan St.
Strong Programs
Pencil on Paper Gallery
A good gallerist has a keen eye for talent and a knack for curating a strong exhibition. Dr. Valerie Bennett Gillespie is a good gallerist. Pencil on Paper Gallery is located on the northernmost edge of the Design District, but lots of Dallas art lovers are making the trek. The exhibition openings are the best time to visit the gallery, both for the fun parties and to make sure you have a chance at buying a piece. These shows sell out. 4755 Algiers St., Ste. 100
Gallery 12.26
In the past five years, Gallery 12.26 has established itself as one of the city’s artistic tastemakers. The Fagadau sisters run a smart program that features a mix of fresh talent, alongside more established artists. Expect lots of paintings, with an occasional sprinkling of sculptures. And if you happen to find yourself in Los Angeles, you can pop by their West Coast outpost. 150 Manufacturing St., Ste. 205
Various Small Fires
After establishing itself as a Los Angeles staple for the last 12 years, Various Small Fires opened its third location in Dallas in 2022. For owner Esther Kim Varet, a Trinity Christian Academy alum, this was a sort of homecoming. Varet, who is Korean, opened her second location in Seoul in 2019. That move proved to be savvy, as the international art fair, Frieze, now has an annual event there. The small downtown Dallas storefront brings a more global sensibility to the city’s curatorial makeup. This is a good place to take the pulse of the broader art market. A lot of the artists VSF has represented go on to be art stars. 1511 Commerce St.
Friendly Spaces
Cris Worley Fine Arts
The art world can be snobby and exclusionary, which can turn people off to the whole idea of gallery hopping. If you’re looking for a combination of good art and good vibes, your first stop should be CWFA. The owner, Cris, is one of the coolest gallerists in town and she and her staff are welcoming and always down to chat about art with visitors. I’ve had more conversations with strangers in her gallery over the years than almost any others. It helps that the art she’s showing is worth chatting about. 1845 E Levee St., Ste. 110
Erin Cluley Gallery
The last 10 years in the Dallas gallery scene has seen a lot of openings and closings, but Erin Cluley Gallery remains a constant. She has a solid line-up of artists, many of whom live and work in the region. She is regularly collaborating within the community and she creates smart, thoughtful programming in her space. Be sure to pick up any materials her team assembles about the exhibition, as this is a gallery dedicated to inviting visitors into the artistic inspiration and process. 150 Manufacturing St., Ste. 210
Galleri Urbane
Visiting Galleri Urbane is always a good choice. The art is fun to look at, the owners are friendly and the space is bright and open. The owners, Ree and Jason Willaford, started exhibiting art more than 20 years ago as a pop-up gallery in Marfa then moved their focus to Dallas 15 years ago. They exhibit a range of work, but keep a selection of work at an approachable price point. They keep a page on their website of work by their artists priced under $2000. 2277 Monitor St.
Daisha Board Gallery
Since opening her first space in 2021, Daisha Board has run one of the city’s most inclusive galleries. The art program is dedicated to marginalized communities, which the gallery defines as artists of color, LGBTQIA+ identifying artists and artists with disabilities. The exhibits often contain big, bold works and the exhibition openings are fun parties. She shut down the original location last year, moving the gallery operation to the location on Bataan Street. 2720 Bataan St.
Can’t Miss
Keijsers Koning Gallery
Although it’s one of the city’s newest galleries, Keijsers Koning has quickly become one of my favorites. The roster is a fun mix of painters, sculptors, and conceptual artists. One exhibition will be rich, vivid paintings and the next will contain a meticulous arrangement of Troll dolls. Naturally, the next will feature a haunting series of beaded sculptures of disembodied feet. Each exhibition so far has been worth a visit. 150 Manufacturing St., Ste. 201
Liliana Bloch Gallery
No one is experimenting with conceptual art at the gallery level like Liliana Bloch. The work she shows is rebellious, intellectual, political, and sometimes just plain weird. If you’re ready to engage with challenging ideas or heady material, this is the space for you. And if you’re not ready for any of that, it can still be fun to look. 4741 Memphis St.
And Now
One of the city’s most elusive galleries, And Now is not particularly invested in being an inviting space. Gallerist James Cope runs a tight artist program and designs spare exhibitions. The work is often oblique and challenging, but always worth the time and effort. The space keeps open hours, but advises appointments. Your best bet is to aim for an exhibition opening that falls on the same day as other gallery’s openings and follow a more experienced art goer to the space. 1327 Dragon St.
Author
