The City of Granbury is celebrating becoming the most recent Texas city with a designated Cultural District approved by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Granbury’s Cultural District is centered around the historic Square. The District includes many of Granbury’s best amenities including museums, restaurants, wineries, live theater, live music venues, shopping, art galleries and studios, the City Beach Park, Lake Granbury Conference Center, and Granbury’s Visitor Center.
The Cultural District spans roughly (east to west) from the Lake Granbury Conference Center to the Jim Burks Firefighters Memorial Park and (north to south) from the railroad tracks to Lake Granbury. It is the hub of virtually all celebrations, festivals and other events in Granbury.
The Cultural District designation follows an effort by the recently formed Cultural Arts Commission. That volunteer group is chaired by Cora Werley.
“The Granbury Cultural Arts Commission is thrilled for our City to be designated a Cultural District,” Werley said. “It is a result of the hard work of so many people to bring this to fruition, including the talented leadership and staff at Visit Granbury; our supportive Mayor Jim Jarratt and City Councilmembers; our knowledgeable City Manager Chris Coffman; and, of course, the hard-working Commission members themselves.”
“This designation will bring increased positive exposure to all of the various existing art and artists in our community,” said Coffman. “It will also make it easier to attract new artists who enhance our quality of life because the outcomes of cultural districts extend beyond the arts and will benefit all members of our community.”
This is just the latest state or national recognition for Granbury. The Governor and State legislature recently designated Granbury as “The Celebration Capital of Texas.” Three times, USA Today Readers’ Choice voted Granbury as the Best Historic Small Town in America.
The district is a focal point for generating business, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development, and fostering civic pride. “Imagine a community that didn’t have art?” asked Visit Granbury Director Tammy Dooley. “I’m proud of our leadership, staff and volunteers for having the focus and endurance to achieve this goal.”