By: Miles Scott
Dallas, TX – Bishop Arts Theatre Center (BATC) proudly announces that founder and Executive Artistic Producer Teresa Coleman Wash has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA) Sabbatical Fund.
The national initiative supports women of color leading arts and cultural organizations by providing dedicated time for rest, reflection, and personal renewal. The program was created in response to the unique challenges and demands often placed on women of color in leadership positions throughout the arts sector.
Through initiatives like the Sabbatical Fund, Women of Color in the Arts (WOCA) invests in the well-being and long-term success of women of color leading arts and cultural organizations across the country. Learn more about WOCA and its programs here.
For more than three decades, Teresa has championed equitable access to the arts while building opportunities for artists, students, and communities that have historically been overlooked. Since founding Bishop Arts Theatre Center, she has transformed the organization into an award-winning cultural institution recognized locally and nationally for artistic excellence, arts education, and community impact.
Teresa’s leadership has earned numerous honors, including the Theatre Communications Group Peter Zeisler Memorial Award, the National Guild for Community Arts Education Milestone Award, the Business Council for the Arts Obelisk Award, and the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Quest for Success Award. Her work as a producer, writer, and advocate continues to influence conversations about equity, representation, and sustainability in the American theatre.
Teresa is currently on sabbatical and will return to BATC on November 1, 2026. During her absence, Marcedes M. Fuller is serving as Interim Managing Director. A respected nonprofit and executive operations leader, Marcedes is overseeing the organization’s day-to-day operations and working closely with BATC’s staff and board leadership to ensure the continued delivery of the organization’s productions, arts education programs, and community engagement initiatives.
This recognition reflects not only Teresa’s extraordinary contributions to the arts but also the growing national conversation around supporting the well-being and sustainability of cultural leaders whose work strengthens communities across the country. BATC is honored to celebrate this achievement and looks forward to welcoming Teresa back later this year.
