Taylor Swift performs during the opener of her Eras tour on March 17 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

As megastar Taylor Swift prepares to perform to sold‐out crowds at AT&T Stadium in Arlington later this month, the Arlington Museum of Art announced today (Thursday, March 30) that it will debut an exclusive exhibition this summer focusing on the evolution of the icon’s artistic expression.

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Collection is being presented by the HELP Center for LGBT Health and Wellness and will open Saturday, June 3, and runs through Sept. 24. A private opening reception for members and donors will be held June 2. Advance tickets for the exhibition go on sale at noon Tuesday, April 4,  at ArlingtonMuseum.org.

The Arlington Museum of Art will be the only place in the world to see this exhibition.

This exhibition, explained museum President and CEO Chris Hightower, is a collaboration with archivists from 13 Management, Swift’s wholly-owned management company. It is curated by Arlington Museum of Art from Swift’s own private collection and will feature original costumes, photographs, concert videos and narratives drawn from her creative periods — her “eras.” Among the highlights are eight costumes worn by Swift.

Altogether, the exhibition is an exploration of Swift as an evolving, boundary‐pushing artist, Hightower said, adding, “As an artist, Swift’s career is rich in depth and detail, and we believe the exhibition will appeal not only to her fans, to music lovers and to art lovers, but to the next generation of emerging museum‐goers.”

Dr. August Jordan Davis, art historian, curator and chair of the Art and Art History department at the University of Texas at Arlington, recognizes Swift’s entire body of work as artistic expression, including her skills as a lyricist, composer, musician, performer, art director, set designer, actor, theatrical director, producer and curator of her own public persona.

“Taylor Swift is a storyteller who obviously loves exploration,” said Davis. “From writing and singing to acting and directing, from the changing genres of her musical journey across two decades, to crafting the concepts and characters of her albums and songs, Swift is attuned to experimentation.

“The variety of eras in Swift’s career shows her dedication to finding new forms of expression and performance that will bring her latest ideas to life.”

Hightower said he sees the exhibition as a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in what it means to be a multimedia artist today.

“Great artists throughout history have been able to express themselves so sublimely because they were so dedicated to their craft,” he said. “They never stop learning and never hold back. They influence the future because they take creative risks in spite of opposing forces.”

DeeJay Johannessen, CEO of The HELP Center for LGBT Health & Wellness, said his organization is “proud to be the presenting sponsor for Taylor Swift |The Eras Tour Collection.  Taylor has championed many causes through both her music and life that align with our mission, especially her support for the LGBTQ+ community. For Ms. Swift to choose Arlington as host for this exclusive exhibit is exciting and a testament to the great work the Arlington Museum of Art is doing for our community.”

Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said the Taylor Swift |The Eras Tour

Collection exhibition reflects a number of the city’s strengths, including a reputation for world‐class entertainment, the city’s Music‐Friendly Community designation by the state of Texas, and an on‐going commitment to supporting arts and cultural programming.

“In Arlington, we love collaboration, a can‐do spirit and out‐of‐the‐box thinking,” Ross said, “and the team at the Arlington Museum of Art continues to surprise and thrill us by really putting all that into practice. It has been so exciting to see the Arlington Museum of Art find its voice in the last few years, and there is no doubt that even bigger things are on the horizon.”

— From Staff Reports