In case you have not noticed - North Texas has become a major player in the arts world!  With the completion of the impressive AT&T Performing Arts Center, we are now officially on the map in the world of entertainment, arts and culture.  We are not just a sports town anymore!

Each week I will share with you some insights, tips, opinions and thoughts as I cover both the Dallas and Fort Worth art scene.  As artists visit our area, most mention the great audiences, venues and opportunities they are finding here - that is great news to any lover of the arts.  We are attracting the most prestigious events, concerts, performances and exhibits to be found anywhere in the world.  So stay tuned as we go center stage for the best and brightest that DFW has to offer!

This week 48 young artrists from 13 area high schools were honored at The Young Master's exhibit at The Dallas Museum of Art.  Go see it!!!  It continues through April 17 and I guarantee you will be as impressed as I was with the caliber of local young talent found here in North Texas. The students were treated to a big gala by the O'Donnell Foundation with awards and hopefully some will receive monies for college schlorships in the future as well.  It's always so satisfying to see the excellence our public schools are producing in light of all the recent press with falling school budgets.  These talented teenagers are passionate about their crafts and you never know - there might be a future Warhol or Picasso among them!

Next week I am very excited as The Horton Foote Festival continues citywide with the opening of "Trip to Bountiful" at the Contemporary Theater of Dallas. It opens Friday 4/8 and is one of the most popular of Foote's award winning plays - with director Renee Moreno at the helm - this production promises to be very exciting!  Stay tuned - we will cover it next week on CBS11 and TXA21 and talk to some of the talented cast.

Is country considered culture?  If it is then this week is a banner week for the arts as Fort Worth's original honky tonk Billy Bob's celebrates it's 30th anniversary at the popular 10,000 square foot entertainment venue in the Stockyards.  All the greats have perfomed there - Willie Nelson 53 times just himself!!  It's the largest honky tonk in the world and we will be there LIVE to help celebrate the big occasion with some of coutry's biggest stars as they take to the red carpet!

See you next week...center  stage!