The City of Southlake proudly welcomes its newest public art installation, Under Our Wings—a striking tribute to our first responders’ courage, commitment, and sacrifice. Designed by internationally acclaimed Florida-based artist Vito DiBari, this powerful sculpture arrived at DPS West on April 9 and now stands as a bold symbol of protection, service, and the strength of community.
The City hosted a Public Art Dedication Ceremony on Friday, April 11, at 9:30 AM at DPS West, at 2100 W. Southlake Boulevard, to commemorate this meaningful addition to Southlake’s public art collection. The event brought together City leaders, residents, staff, and honored guests to celebrate art, service, and unity.
Mayor Shawn McCaskill, Southlake Arts Council Chair Tamara McMillan, and artist Vito DiBari each shared reflections on the inspiration behind Under Our Wings and its important role in honoring those who serve. Following their remarks, City Council and Art Council members proudly unveiled the sculpture to an appreciative audience.
“My goal with this project was to pay tribute to the tireless effort that the local Police and Fire Departments put forth to protect the citizens of Southlake. I have created the sculpture to be viewed from different angles. I was attracted by the visibility from Southlake Boulevard and tried to optimize it to draw people closer, inviting them to discover more details,” stated DiBari in his remarks.
More than just a work of art, Under Our Wings is a lasting expression of gratitude—a visual reminder of the brave men and women who safeguard our city every day. The dedication ceremony offered a powerful opportunity for the community to come together, express thanks, and experience the impact of public art firsthand.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who joined us in honoring our first responders, celebrating artistic vision, and embracing this new Southlake landmark.
For more information on the City’s Public Art Program, visit: https://www.experiencesouthlaketexas.com/410/Southlake-Public-Art
Mark your calendars! The 25th annual Strokes of Art in the Square is set for Sunday, February 16, 2025. Join us for an evening of creativity, community, and celebration in the foyer of Southlake Town Hall from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Enjoy refreshments, mingle with artists, and get a first look at the exciting highlights of this year’s festival.
A special moment of the evening will be the Southlake Women’s Club Foundation’s announcement of the Northeast Tarrant County charities selected as the 2025 beneficiaries. Guests will also get a sneak peek at the extraordinary works of eight featured artists, offering a taste of the vibrant talent set to be showcased during the Art in the Square Festival held from April 25-27. Plus, be among the first to see the unveiling of the highly anticipated 25th-anniversary event t-shirt!
Make your voice heard! Voting for the 2025 People’s Choice Award kicks off in late February. Cast your vote in person at Southlake Town Hall or online via the city’s website and help spotlight your favorite featured artist. Voting will conclude on April 4, 2025.
Proudly co-sponsored by the Southlake Arts Council, Apex Arts League, and Art in the Square/Southlake Women’s Club, Strokes is an unmissable event for art lovers and community supporters alike.
Save the dates—April 25-27, 2025—for an unforgettable weekend of art, music, and entertainment at Art in the Square!
For more information, visit www.apex-arts.org or www.artinthesquare.com.
The Southlake Arts Council is thrilled to announce the return of the Southlake Presents Art Show and Competition, an award-winning exhibit that celebrates the creativity of Southlake’s talented resident artists.
We’re calling all Southlake-based artists to submit their finest work for an opportunity to be featured in this prestigious community exhibit. Your art will be displayed in the Southlake Town Hall lobby for residents and visitors to admire from May 2, 2025, to June 27, 2025.
Why Enter?
Rules and Eligibility
Submission Deadline: March 21, 2025
Prepare your submissions and apply today for your chance to join Southlake’s premier art event! For full details and submission guidelines, visit the Southlake Public Arts website.
The Southlake Arts Council is excited to see your creativity come to life. Don’t miss this opportunity to shine!
If you’ve driven past the DPS West station on Southlake Boulevard in the last few months, you may have noticed work going on in front of the building.
DPS West will soon be the home of Southlake’s newest public art piece, “Under Our Wings,” by Florida artist Vito DiBari. While the artistic team is working hard to create this one-of-a-kind custom statue, our Parks team has been busy working with our partners to ensure the site is ready for art installation day.
Over the last few months, the DPS West site had irrigation moved to accommodate the new piece, electricity set up for the footlights, and a round concrete base poured. More recently, an ADA accessible concrete sidewalk was poured. As we wait for the artist to put the finishing touches on the statue before delivering it to the City, the Parks team will continue prepping the site by cleaning up the sod surrounding the new base, adding landscaping, and installing two viewing benches.
Adding public art to the DPS West station was a recommendation in the Southlake Public Art Master Plan. The Southlake Arts Council recommended “Under our Wings,” by Vito DiBari during their January 2023 meeting after a vigorous selection process that included reviewing 31 individual artist applications. The Southlake City Council approved the statue on February 20, 2024.
Stay tuned for more updates on this new piece of art. For more information on the City’s Public Art Program visit, https://www.experiencesouthlaketexas.com/410/Southlake-Public-Art.
Mark your calendar for Sunday, September 29, from 4:00-5:30 PM, and join the Southlake Arts Council and APEX Arts League for an afternoon of creativity and community at the Fall Art Exhibit and Reception. This year, we’re excited to showcase the captivating work of local artist Bethany Klein, whose pieces beautifully blend her love for animals, nature, and the surreal.
Bethany’s passion for art has been a lifelong journey, beginning in her childhood. Over the years, her artistic style has evolved from realism to more dreamlike surrealism, allowing her to tap into the imaginative wonder she remembers from her youth. Her work invites viewers to experience the natural world through a lens of creativity and whimsy.
This event is the perfect opportunity to meet Bethany in person, explore her latest creations, and immerse yourself in the enchanting world she portrays. Whether you’re a seasoned art lover or simply looking for an inspiring way to spend a Sunday afternoon, this reception is one you won’t want to miss. Plus, light refreshments will be provided to enhance your experience.
Bethany’s work will be displayed in the Town Hall Lobby from September 20th until November 1st.
Come celebrate the beauty of the season and the talent of an extraordinary local artist—see you there!
The Southlake Arts Council is looking for home-grown talent to display for the annual Southlake Presents exhibit.
Applications for this year’s Southlake Presents art show and competition are now open!
The Southlake Arts Council, in collaboration with the APEX Arts League, is excited to bring this award-winning art show back to Southlake Town Hall. Southlake Presents captures the range of Southlake’s talent through this innovative public art exhibit that exclusively features art by Southlake residents.
Don’t wait until the last minute to apply! The competition gets harder every year and this is a great way to get public exposure for your work in a world-class community facility.
Applications are now open and close on Friday, March 22. The Southlake Arts Council will jury all submissions and select the finalists towards the end of March.
Selected work will be displayed in the Town Hall Lobby from May 17, to June 28. A public art reception will take place on May 19 at 5:00 PM.
Rules and Eligibility:
We can’t wait to see what the Southlake community creates!
It is time for the 10th Strokes to kick off another artful, fun-filled Art in the Square!
The community is invited to Strokes of Art in the Square on February 18, 2024, in the foyer of Southlake Town Hall. The festivities are from 5-6:30 PM with refreshments and exceptional artwork.
The Southlake Women’s Club Foundation will present the Northeast Tarrant County 501c.3 charities that were selected as the 2024 Beneficiaries of Art in the Square. The showcased artwork of the featured artists offers samplings of the outstanding creatives that can be found during the Art in the Square festival held on April 26-28.
Voting begins for the 2024 The People’s Choice. The community can cast a vote at Southlake Town Hall or by QR code for their favorite featured artist. Voting will end on March 10, 2024.
Strokes is co-sponsored by the Southlake Arts Council, Apex Arts League, and Art in the Square/Southlake Women’s Club.
Don't forget to save the dates April 26-28 to attend Art in the Square. It’s a cosmic canvas!
For more information, visit www.apexartsleague.com.
Fall is officially here, and it’s time to decorate the Town Hall lobby walls with this year’s featured artist!
Don’t miss your chance to see exquisite original pieces by Texas-born artist Jeremy Serna! Join the Southlake Arts Council and the APEX Arts League on Sunday, September 10 at 5:00 PM in the Town Hall Lobby for a public art reception.
Serna owns Painting with Friends and is a self-taught artist. He began exploring art early on, working with pastels, acrylics, and watercolors. He studied immensely to get where he is today and gives back to other emerging artists by teaching art classes virtually and in his studio. In addition, Serna is represented in several cities in Texas, including Llano, Waco, Fredericksburg, Canton, and Eureka Springs, AR, and Ventura, CA, and with several private collectors. He won the Overall Artist award in 2020 at the Stars of Texas Paint Off Competition. Jeremy Serna was also a featured artist at this year’s Art in the Square Festival.
Don’t miss your chance to meet the artist, learn more about the Southlake Arts Council and APEX Arts League, and maybe pick up a new original piece of art! As always, light refreshments will be provided.
The City of Southlake unveiled its newest piece of public art on Wednesday, May 24, at 9:00 AM at the Liberty Gardens in Bicentennial Park.
City Council members, Art Council members, first responders, and the artist gathered at the Liberty Gardens to celebrate the arrival of “Remembrance and Renewal” by New York artist Mark Weisbeck. Mayor Huffman made the opening remarks, followed by Zac Rowe from Gateway Music Ministries singing “The National Anthem” and "America the Beautiful." Southlake Arts Council Chair Tamara McMillan and artists Mark and Diane Weisbeck also made some remarks.
The new, 15-foot-tall statue consists of two stainless steel towers with lightly textured brass in a “Statue of Liberty” green patina. The sculpture invites the viewer to celebrate with love and honor all those lost and affected by the events of 9-11 and pay tribute to those people and loved ones in a positive, hopeful, and compassionate manner. It invites contemplation and healing within the beautiful gardens and inspires us to work toward harmony, goodwill, and peace. The sculpture reminds us that no matter what actions of terror occur, there will always be citizens who will stand against it and work toward friendship, understanding, and peace to make the world a better place for all.
“Remembrance and Renewal” was approved by the Southlake Arts Council during their April 26, 2022, Arts Council meeting and by the Southlake City Council during their May 17, 2022, meeting. Learn more about Southlake’s Public Art program by visiting our Public Art website.
Visit the Liberty Gardens in Bicentennial Park to spend a moment of contemplation in front of our newest piece.
The Aria Amphitheatre at Legends Hall is getting a new look and sound, but you may need to search carefully to see it.
The Aria Amphitheatre received a brand-new audio/visual system on Friday, April 14, 2023. The fruit of a year-long process, the Aria AV upgrade aligns with our Marq facility replacement plan and consulted various community stakeholders.
Community Services staff worked with local partners to identify areas of improvement for the Aria Amphitheatre beginning in FY 22. City staff conducted stakeholder meetings with the APEX Arts League, Southlake Arts Council, the Southlake Community Band, the Fort Worth and Dallas Symphony Orchestras, and Ford representatives to understand community needs for the space. Key takeaways from these meetings included the need to bring sound in and out of Legends Hall to the Aria and improved amplification for larger musical ensembles.
Upgrading the Aria AV system was a no-brainer due to its installation in late 2015. The typical lifespan for similar AV equipment is 5-8 years. This new AV system will increase the service levels of the Aria to its full potential.
Highlights of the equipment upgrades include:
A few additions remain to complete the upgrade, including a new full microphone package. Our staff aims to accommodate the diverse array of offerings Aria seeks to attract in partnership with Southlake's art nonprofit organizations.
Legends Hall staff received training on the new AV system on Friday, April 14, and are looking forward to offering an enhanced experience at Aria moving forward!
