McLennan County, TX is taking strides to evaluate and cultivate its creative arts scene. Through the efforts of Creative Waco, a non-profit organization founded by Fiona Bond, the city is creating a master plan to direct future decisions about art. This plan will consider the art that already exists in the city and will have an understanding of what people want and don't want to see. The goal is to bring art to other parts of the city, not just the city center.
Amanda Dyer, director of public art and development at Creative Waco, believes that art should reflect the values, history and all aspects of a community. To this end, Creative Waco has organized exhibitions of local art and created a deck of cards featuring local artwork that is still being sold to support art programs in Waco. McLennan County is also home to Baylor University, whose official standard is the McLennan tartan, a wool fabric with a characteristic checkered pattern. The university's teams have won nine NJCAA national championships, and the McLennan Dance Company is one of the most renowned university teams in the country.
Creative Waco's mission is to expand and support a flourishing cultural and creative community in Waco and McLennan County. Through their endeavors, McLennan County is becoming an increasingly vibrant place for creative arts.
