A BATH HOUSE?

Built in 1930 on what were then the rural shores of White Rock Lake, the "old bath house" was one of the first uses of Art Deco architecture in the southwest. It provided lockers, changing rooms, rentable swim suits and concessions for the thousands of people that drove from all over North Texas to swim in the lake.

The Bath House remained a social and recreational hot spot for over two decades, but was forced to close in 1953 when swimming in White Rock Lake was discontinued due to drought, polio and racial tensions. The majestic building sat vacant until 1978 when, urged and supported by a dedicated group of neighborhood arts activists, the City of Dallas announced plans to restore the building. In August of 1981, the citizens of East Dallas celebrated the birth of the City's first neighborhood cultural center.

Today, instead of lockers and showers, the Bath House Cultural Center houses a 120-seat theater, two gallery spaces, a darkroom, and multiple mixed-use spaces. Diversity flourishes as visual and performing artists from an array of backgrounds and disciplines find a welcoming venue for their work. The center's energetic atmosphere and programming creates a hotbead for the nurturing of new work, and an exciting place where artists and audiences meet to explore and enjoy the life force that is the arts.