The Winnsboro Cultural Arts District was one of the first chosen in 2009 by the Texas Commission on the Arts pilot program, with a renewal in 2019, and supports over 275 artists in a cornucopia of mediums. The District is approximately nine blocks in size and central to award winning restaurants, eclectic shops, and upscale boutiques all intermingled with rich history and arts synergy.
About Cultural Arts Districts
Cultural districts are special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community revitalization. The Winnsboro Cultural Arts District goal is to provide a healthy environment for creative expression and you’ll find artistic influences in every corner of the district. Winnsboro is nestled equidistance from Dallas, Shreveport, and Texarkana among rolling hills, thick forests, and lake country among some of the top farming producers in the nation for poultry & hay crops. Residence and visitors alike express their attraction to Winnsboro’s sophistication paired with a tempered pace and solid country values. It’s this eclectic mixture that gives the Winnsboro Cultural Arts District a distinct feeling of home.
In 2018 Winnsboro was inducted into the County Line Magazine “Best of” Hall of Fame for being nominated three consecutive years as the Best Downtown in the Upper East Side of Texas.
Winnsboro Cultural Arts Districts
Enjoy the multicultural culinary influence of Italy, Mexico and Texas And if that wasn’t enough, take in a live performance or visit an art exhibit in the heart of our district at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts. The Center is 8,000 sq ft of space dedicated to multi-generational education in music, visual arts, theatre, and literary arts with music rooms, pottery studio, large listening room, rotating art exhibit area, and artist gift store.
ART
Classes for Kids
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts offers art classes in the summer for kids. The curriculum include a variety of mediums in clay, drawing, painting and mosaics. The center is expanding these classes each year as interest continues to grow.
For more information
Call 903-342-0686
Art Exhibits
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts has around eight art exhibits each year. The exhibits have a wide variety of art from local artists. Each exhibit honors the artists with a reception that is open to the public.
GALLERY GIFT SHOP
The Gallery Gift shop is a wonderful avenue for local artists to show off their talents. The shop is located at the front of the Winnsboro Center for the Arts. The shop also carries a large selection of art supplies.
Art offerings include jewelry, photography, pottery, fiber art, books by local authors and paintings.
MUSIC
THE BOWERY STAGE
The Bowery Stage is located at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts. Even though it is a small venue it brings some of the finest performers in the country.
The schedule of performers includes singer song writers, folk, jazz and blues. There are also many performers that call Texas their home. The Bowery Stage enjoys support from the Texas Commission on the Arts and individual sponsors.
MONDAY NIGHT LIVE
Back for the 2023 Season
One of the most popular seasonal events in Winnsboro is Monday Live on Market Street. The event takes place on the third Monday of March, April, May, June, September, October and November.
Enjoy live music, food and fun with friends. Food vendors and the local restaurants support the event.
MUSIC CAMP FOR KIDS
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts offered their first Music Camp for Kids in the summer of 2018. One of the goals of the Center is to expand children’s programming.
The Summer Camps for Kids also include an Art Camp and two Drama Camps. Save a spot early as these programs sell out quickly.
For more information
Call 903-342-0686
LITERATURE
poetry and comedy
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts supports and sponsors poetry events like the Spoken Word by Matt Spezia an award winning poet.
Local businesses also participate and organize poetry readings and events.
BOOK FESTIVAL
May 6, 2023
The book festival is a community-centered event that brings books and authors to the reading public. Our event showcases books from many perspectives and offers authors critical opportunities to promote their books to a circle of readers most likely to engage with them. Additionally, we have activities that spotlight the up and coming young readers as well as workshops designed to promote and engage beginning authors.
winnsboro cowboy poetry gathering
September 30, 2023
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts has added this popular event for the fall of each year. The month of October is filled with Cowboy activity and the famous Autumn Trails
THEATRE & RE-ENACTMENTS
community theater
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts has been very active in providing opportunities for locals to participate in theater performances on the Bowery Stage.
Past performances include Bonnie & Clyde, King Kong and The Move an original play written for the Center.
BOWERY STREET REENACTMENTS
In years past the Bowery street was filled with saloons and all too often gun fights broke out.
Bonnie & Clyde used to make deals for guns & ammunition, as well as the outlaws’ view that Winnsboro and the surrounding area was a safe haven.
On special occasions a Bonnie & Clyde walking tour and reenactment takes place in the Bowery.
drama camps for kids
The Winnsboro Center for the Arts offers summer drama camps for kids. They offer two camps for different ages.
The older children completely develop the play and the script and George Gagliardi writes original music for the performances.
To sign up for a camp contact the Center at 903-342-0686
ANNUAL EVENTS & FESTIVALS
ART & WINE FESTIVAL
November 10 - 11
This Friday-Saturday artist marketplace in November each year is Winnsboro’s cultural highlight event of the year. The artists are selected through a jury process so only the finest variety of artists will be in attendance.
Elm, Market and Franklin Streets are closed to traffic and lined with white tents housing a variety of art that ranges from traditional to abstract, painting to pottery, glass to silk.
autumn trails
Now in its 60th year Autumn Trails is the longest running annual event in Winnsboro. The celebration lasts throughout the month of October.
Every weekend is filled with events from Arts & Crafts, cook-offs, barrel racing, trail rides, golf tournament, livestock show and more.
Enjoy the fall colors on one of four driving routes around Winnsboro
La Bella Notte
March 25, 2023
This event is the Winnsboro Center for the Arts annual fundraiser. The venue includes more than one hundred paintings submitted by local artists for the silent auction.
A live auction includes donated services and items from the East Texas area all the way to Dallas. The evening includes dinner, drinks and live entertainment.
Winnsboro rodeo
There are currently two rodeos a year in Winnsboro. The Spring event is the third weekend in May and brings contestants from around the world.
The rodeo’s are held at the Winnsboro Rodeo Grounds and include bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and much more.
Antique Car Parade
A major attraction during the Autumn Trails month is the Antique Car and Parade and Model T Tour. The parade historically has well over 150 cars participating.
The preservation of these antique cars and the variety makes it one of the largest antique car shows in the Southwest.
Farmers' Market
The Winnsboro Farmers’ Market brings producers of locally grown food, hand made, and home baked products together with discerning shoppers, to enhance the local economy and foster community relationships.
The Market is open from April through October every Saturday from 8:00 am to Noon. Locally grown produce and agricultural items are sold.
Classic Car Cruise In
This event takes place in downtown Winnsboro at the historic Train Depot.
Cruise into Winnsboro on Labor Day weekend and enjoy classic cars, music, shopping and food!