DeSoto’s arts and culture manager announced a series of arts and heritage initiatives during the city’s 76th homecoming celebration, including an ongoing restoration of Nance Farm, a new DeSoto Artist Lab residency program, a call for public art and a first annual AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) festival.

Rolanda Brigham, the city’s arts, culture and heritage manager, described the Nance Farm project as a preservation effort “to preserve an important piece of DeSoto’s past for future generations” and said the site will include an artist hub to host arts programming. She said the city has pictures in the event lobby showing the project design and invited residents to view them.

Why it matters: city officials and community members framed the work as both a preservation effort and an economic and cultural investment — using arts programming and public installations to celebrate local history, support artists and attract visitors. Brigham said the residency program will “give local artists the space and resources they need to create and share their work,” and the city is issuing a public-art call for sculptures and murals intended to place art in visible public spaces.

Support and programming: Brigham said the DeSoto Artist Lab Residency will provide workspace and resources for local artists and that the public-art program aims to bring art “directly into the heart of our city.” She also announced a new AAPI Mini Festival scheduled for May 17 from noon to 7 p.m., describing it as “a celebration of the Asian American Pacific Islander community” intended to highlight local diversity. At the event’s close, organizers also publicized a meet-and-greet co‑sponsored by the DeSoto Cultural Arts Foundation and a ribbon-cutting and portrait unveiling at the Corner Theatre on April 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Related civic projects: during a separate portion of the program, trivia referenced a planned aquatic recreation center at McCown Park described in the trivia question as including a competitive swimming pool and Olympic training dorms; that detail appeared as an audience answer during the trivia portion and was not presented as a formal staff project description by city staff during the panel remarks.

Community reaction and next steps: speakers at the homecoming praised the city’s history and volunteer networks; Brigham and others encouraged residents to participate in upcoming arts events and to review project materials on display in the lobby. No formal funding amounts, timelines or approval votes were announced during the event.

For residents: organizers asked attendees to take flyers at the exit and invited the public to upcoming events; Brigham and the DeSoto Cultural Arts Foundation were identified as contacts for the arts initiatives during the presentation.