DALLAS, TEXAS — July 31, 2026 — When Curtis King received four boxes of “trash” from a New York dumpster five decades ago, buried among the papers was a personal letter from Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes and founding documents of the original Black Academy of Arts and L…
DALLAS, TEXAS — July 31, 2026 — When Curtis King received four boxes of “trash” from a New York dumpster five decades ago, buried among the papers was a personal letter from Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes and founding documents of the original Black Academy of Arts and Letters. Those salvaged documents revealed discussions among some of America’s greatest artists: Duke Ellington, Maya Angelou, Alvin Ailey, Count Basie, Katherine Dunham, Harry Belafonte, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, and Dizzy Gillespie, among others.
From that serendipitous discovery and a $250 personal investment in 1977, King founded what is now The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL), carrying forward both the original New York-based Black Academy of Arts and Letters (BAAL) mission and ideas from the 1897 American Negro Academy.
Today, TBAAL stands as an iconic Dallas-based institution undergoing multi-million-dollar renovations, celebrating its golden anniversary with the 9th annual Riverfront Jazz Festival (September 4–6, 2026) with seven-time Grammy-winner Gladys Knight. Knight’s opening performance will be followed by fireworks and a celebratory Second Line Parade to TBAAL’s temporary home at The Women’s Museum.
The three-day festival at Dallas’ Historic Fair Park features over 30 musical acts including Samara Joy, Jamal Roberts, King George, Brian McKnight, Marion Meadows, Keiko Matsui, Chieli Minucci, Bilal, and Rose Royce across three stages.
A Stage Built for the Next Generation
At the heart of the festival is TBAAL’s commitment to young artists. Alongside two main stages headlined by world-renowned performers, the Promising Young Artists Stage will showcase twenty-five emerging acts — a rare, high-visibility platform for youth talent in the region.
“We cannot do a festival of this caliber unless we give a platform to feature young talent,” King said. “This is our mission — and this is the same institution that gave a stage to the world-renowned artist and Queen of Neo-Soul, Erykah Badu.” Badu is one of many alumni who first found their voice through TBAAL’s youth development pipeline, which continues to train the next class of performers, technicians, and creative leaders.
That pipeline runs year-round through TBAAL’s nationally recognized Youth Arts and Education programs, which have made the Academy one of the most active youth-arts training grounds in America and the South. Most recently, more than 450 students in the performing and technical arts participated in the 41st annual Summer Arts Institute, a month-long educational enrichment program presented in partnership with the Dallas Independent School District, the Dallas Mavericks, and Dallas’ Office of Arts and Culture. Students receive hands-on instruction in music, dance, theater, film, photography, lighting, costume, makeup and backstage technical crafts — often at no cost to their families.
Across five decades, TBAAL’s youth programming has served tens of thousands of Dallas-area young people, many from historically under-resourced communities, providing mentorship, scholarships, professional-level performance opportunities, and a direct on-ramp into the arts economy.
Proceeds Fuel Youth Programs
Proceeds from the Riverfront Jazz Festival directly benefit TBAAL’s Youth Arts and Education programs, helping fund scholarships, instruction, and stage time for the next generation of artists. Every ticket, table, and sponsorship helps put an instrument in a student’s hands and a spotlight on their work.
Donate to TBAAL: https://tbaal.org/donate/
The festival is supported in part by Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCC), Visit Dallas, City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Charles Schwab Bank, and Stein Foundation.
Media partners include: 97.9 The Beat, K104 FM, Smooth R&B 105.7, NBC-5/Telemundo 39, Texas Metro News, Ticketmaster, The Dallas Weekly, and The Garland Journal.
For tickets, call TBAAL at 214.743.2400 or visit Ticketmaster.com.
For VIP Corporate, Group Tables, and Vendor opportunities, call 214.743.2441.
For media and sponsorship inquiries, call 214.743.2442 or email marketing@tbaal.org.
Visit the festival website at www.tbaalriverfrontjazzfestival.org
###
Media Contact
Company: The Black Academy of Arts and Letters
Contact Person: Curtis King
Email: Send email
Website: www.tbaalriverfrontjazzfestival.org
