The mourning of under-appreciated talent is a common refrain in Dallas. It seems we are all very aware of the existence of local artists, but have no idea how to support and grow their talent. One of the early steps in the gradual path to a solution is recognizing there's a problem right? So if we're at that stage, what's coming next? The Fashion Art Network (FAN), located just north of what is technically the Dallas Design District, is attempting to answer that question and hoping to provide a solution.
Damien and Dwayne, the co-founders of FAN, have many years of experience in the art and fashion worlds respectively, having each spent many years building careers in New York City and Los Angeles, cities the world has deemed to be at the cutting edge of art, fashion and more. The two men's return to Dallas in recent years presented itself as an opportunity to be a part of the nascent artistic renaissance many see happening in Dallas. Through FAN, their passion project of sorts, they hope to unite the various art 'scenes' in Dallas, using their career experience on the coasts as a guide. As they see it, their role is to unite the disparate art, fashion and film scenes while training and nurturing artists as they begin their careers. Earlier this year the two officially kicked things off with a number of events, five since their opening in May, signed a lease and started marketing FAN to consumers and artists alike. From FAN's huge space on Quebec Street, Damien and Dwayne plan to hold seminars on branding, provide cheap space for filming and gallery shows and host ticketed events aimed at bringing in an audience of art-lovers to see artists and designers whose work would otherwise go unnoticed.
They plan to offer consulting services for artists, cost to be negotiated on an individual basis, on everything from branding to marketing, even health and wellness. They'll also host designer focused events; building a fashion scene in Dallas seems to be a particularly important priority for the two, and help artists market their art to not only dealers but also consumers. FAN wants to be a lot of things, and Damien and Dwayne have big goals for their recently established organization. More than anything though, they plan on keeping the artist at the center, doing their part to grow local talent and put Dallas on the map.
