Sweet Pass Sculpture Park

Mission

Sweet Pass Sculpture Park is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization providing space and support for temporary, experimental, and large-scale outdoor projects by a diverse set of contemporary voices.

Sweet Pass began on an empty lot in west Dallas, to address a lack of opportunities for artists to show contemporary and experimental outdoor sculpture. Since opening our gates, we’ve produced over two dozen exhibitions and events, worked with over 100 international and local artists, and provided a platform for students from local universities, schools, and youth organizations. We pride ourselves on not only providing logistical support like fabrication, transportation, installation, and documentation–but also financial support in the form of stipends and production budgets. We have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), TACA, Nasher Sculpture Center, and City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture and partnered numerous organizations including Ignite/Arts Dallas, Cedars Union, Oak Cliff Boys & Girls Club, SMU Pollock Gallery, Corsicana Artist & Writer Residency, Oaxaca Interest, and NorthPark Center.

The park draws its name from the idea of a hidden valley or beyul; a place of overlapping worlds that often appears only under special conditions. It is an idyllic realm which offers respite to travelers, refugees, and seekers on their journey. In this poetic vein, Sweet Pass is dedicated to experimentation, community engagement, and creating systems that exist in the gaps between ideas of gardens, green spaces, and public spaces while supporting contemporary art and artists. Over the past three years, our programming has evolved to focus on project-based, site-responsive, and site-sensitive exhibitions. While we mainly work with emerging and mid-career artists; we have also opened the park as a classroom, studio, pop-up restaurant, performance space, and even as a Tejo field.