Set to celebrate its 18th year in 2026, the Allen Arts Festival is expected to draw both local artists as well as artisans from across the country to showcase their art in Allen on Mother’s Day weekend.
The festival is one of the annual events hosted by the Allen Arts Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works to advocate for and support local arts within Allen. Executive Director Wendy McIntyre said the organization works to highlight talented local artists.
“Traditionally, there’s been a huge misconception that we in the arts fields continually battle, that if [art] doesn’t come from a large metropolitan city, it can’t be that good,” she said. “Well, that’s not true. We have just phenomenal talent here locally.”
The details
The Allen Arts Alliance originated as a city advisory board in 1998 prior to establishing as a nonprofit in 2006, its website states. The umbrella organization serves as a hub for arts and cultural organizations in Allen, and works to promote local cultural arts organizations and arts education opportunities.
The organization is funded in part through donations and grants, and also receives some city funding, McIntyre said. Members of the organization include various local art organizations including Allen Quilters Guild, Visual Arts League of Allen, Allen Contemporary Theatre, Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony Chorus, Allen Civic Ballet and more.
The organization offers grants to its members, as well as use of its gallery as event and meeting space. The Blue House Too Gallery, a nonprofit art gallery run by the arts alliance, is located in Watters Creek Village. The alliance awarded over $50,000 in grants in 2025 to support the operating costs of cultural arts organizations, McIntyre said.
The Allen Arts Alliance also offers classes for youth and adults in various mediums.
“Our whole mission is to keep the cultural arts alive and thriving within the Allen community,” she said.
Diving in deeper
McIntyre said investing in art brings vibrancy to a community and supports well-being.
“The arts are more than just a pretty picture on the wall. The arts support mental health, well-being, value and community,” she said.
As cultural arts continue to grow in Allen, McIntyre said she would like to see a dedicated cultural arts center established to offer space for artists to perform and showcase their art.
“My long-term vision that I’m advocating for and trying to garner community support around is having a solid foundation to support the arts here in Allen,” she said.
Mark your calendar
The organization hosts two annual festival events that showcase local artists.
The Allen Arts Festival, a three-day event held in Watters Creek Village, will be hosted May 8-10. The event attracts both local artists as well as artisans from across the country that offer paintings, jewelry, woodworking, metalworking and other art. The festival has historically featured between 60-80 vendors, but McIntyre said she is looking to grow the event.
“Within the next couple of years, we have large aspirations to grow it to over 200 [vendors] because we want to be one of the largest festivals in North Texas,” she said.
The 2026 festival will feature over 100 local and national artists, a news release states. The free event also features booths for member organizations of the alliance, a Student Showcase, a juried art competition, live entertainment, children’s activities, Chalk the Walk and more. The second day of the event, Saturday, May 9, also includes a ticketed wine walk held from 1-5 p.m. and a Crafter’s Corner market. For more information on the event, visit https://artsfestival.allenartsalliance.org.
The organization’s other annual festival, Crafts and Drafts, is held in September and features local art as well as craft beer and other family-friendly activities. McIntyre emphasized the role of these events in attracting visitors to Allen.
“It’s important to keep that here and to bring people and visitors into our city because you bring visitors in, it helps our tax base [and] brings money into the city,” she said.
Quote of note
“The biggest message I always try to give to people who enjoy any type of art is just enjoy it,” she said. “If you want to take it to the next level, yeah, get mentorship or take a class … but the seed is in you. If you have that passion to want to do it, do it and enjoy it.”
