ABOUT
Our mission is to inspire a more accessible future of art and technology by supporting the voices of today’s artists and connecting diverse communities through transformative public art experiences.
A cornerstone of contemporary culture in North Texas, AURORA is a Dallas-based public arts organization working at the intersection of art, technology, and community. Through the AURORA Biennial exhibition and year-round AURORA Expanded programming, the organization engages regional and international audiences, helping establish Dallas as a global cultural center for art and technology.
AURORA was founded in 2010 by artists Shane Pennington and Joshua King, along with veteran Dallas arts supporter Veletta Forsythe Lill. The inaugural exhibition was a one-night public art event featuring light, video, and sound artworks. Today, AURORA exists as a multifaceted platform.
︎︎︎ Discover past AURORA Biennial and AURORA Expanded events.
A cornerstone of contemporary culture in North Texas, AURORA is a Dallas-based public arts organization working at the intersection of art, technology, and community. Through the AURORA Biennial exhibition and year-round AURORA Expanded programming, the organization engages regional and international audiences, helping establish Dallas as a global cultural center for art and technology.
AURORA was founded in 2010 by artists Shane Pennington and Joshua King, along with veteran Dallas arts supporter Veletta Forsythe Lill. The inaugural exhibition was a one-night public art event featuring light, video, and sound artworks. Today, AURORA exists as a multifaceted platform.
︎︎︎ Discover past AURORA Biennial and AURORA Expanded events.
Co-Founders
Shane Pennington
Aurora Co-Founder,
Creative Advisor
Joshua King
Aurora Co-Founder,
Executive Director
Veletta Forsythe Lill
Aurora Co-Founder,
Founding Executive
Director of the Dallas Arts District
TEAM
Monica Salazar (MONA Productions)
Communications and Programming Director
Corey Moulton
Production and Administrative Manager
Kwame Lewis
Rhiannon R. Martin
Production Coordinator
Natalie Jordan
Development Coordinator
Adela Lovric (MONA Productions)
Anna Russ (MONA Productions)
Marketing and Communications
Jesse Slater (MONA Productions)
Social Media
BOARD MEMBERS
L.D. Thomas
President
Veletta Forsythe Lill
Vice President
Arthur Santa-Maria
Secretary/Treasurer
Jacob Navarrete
Officer
Shalissa Perry
Officer
Heather Reichstadt
Officer
Megan Ruth Bowdon Wilkinson
Officer
AURORA BIENNIAL
Since its foundation, the AURORA Biennial has transformed Dallas neighborhoods into curated, large-scale exhibitions, free and open to the public. The Biennial is also an important platform for exchange between regional and international artists and curators.
The next AURORA Biennial will take place from November 4–21, 2026. For the first time, it will unfold over three weeks, activating Dallas with events before culminating in a free, citywide outdoor exhibition on November 21 at Dallas City Hall, the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, and the AT&T Discovery District. Curated by Julia Kaganskiy and Tairone Bastien under the title States of Becoming, the 7th edition of the Biennial responds to a moment of profound transformation—from the climate crisis and the rise of AI to the erosion of democratic norms.
Visit the AURORA Biennial page for more details.
Miguel Chevalier, Digital Icons, 2018, part of AURORA 2018. Photo by Nicolas Gaudelet
Alicia Eggert, All the Light, 2017, part of AURORA 2018. Photo by Stephan Lucas
James Clar, Pixelated Serenity, Part of AURORA 2015. Courtesy the artistAURORA EXPANDED
AURORA’s auxiliary program, AURORA Expanded, is a regional program focused on spotlighting and supporting North Texas artists through a year-round series of site-specific installations, special events and social gatherings.
AURORA Expanded’s most recent events include Video Art Night, an outdoor, immersive exhibition of moving image artworks, taking place in various locations across Downtown Dallas, as well as educational and community outreach programs such as Art Quest, an interactive, scavenger-style art discovery program. This unique program connects diverse communities with regional artists through interactive, scavenger hunt-style events.
Visit the AURORA Expanded page for more details.
Video Art Night in Dallas, 2026, Photo by Turk Studio
Tramaine Townsend, Suspense, 2020, part of AURORA Expanded: Area 3 exhibition, Dallas, TX. Photo by Christian Vasquez, © Paperlyte
Jess Garland, Resurrecting Gaia, 2018, part of AURORA Expanded 2018. Photo by Paperlyte
A.rt Experience is a 501(c)(3) publicly supported charity, Federal Tax ID 93-3661865. All contributions to the AURORA Fund of The Dallas Foundation are tax deductible, as allowed by law.