Program opens Oct. 24 with focus on preventive care and mental health support for Dallas’ creative workforce
A new initiative launching Oct. 24 aims to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for Dallas County’s creative professionals.
Creatives Care Dallas, developed by the Dallas Music Office in partnership with Arete Health Shield, offers a low-cost health and wellness membership for gig-based artists, musicians, filmmakers and freelancers who often lack traditional employer health coverage.
For $65 a month, members receive access to virtual primary care, 24/7 urgent telemedicine, behavioral health services and $0 co-pay prescriptions for the top 2,000 medications. Each membership can include up to five people.
“Our creative workforce is the heartbeat of Dallas’ cultural identity,” said Kristina Kirkenaer-Hart, director of cultural tourism and the Dallas Music Office. “The arts are a powerful economic engine, and it’s our responsibility to support the people who keep that engine running.”
Membership is open to Dallas County residents who work in creative fields and receive 1099, contract or project-based income. Enrollment is available to individuals with or without existing health insurance.
Arete Health manages all enrollment, billing and care under its Arete Health Shield platform. Visit Dallas and the Dallas Music Office serve as community partners and advocates but are not healthcare providers or administrators.
“Creatives Care Dallas is a bold step toward reimagining access to care,” said Byron Sanders, CEO of Arete Health. “Artists, musicians and makers deserve healthcare that meets them where they are—on terms that work for their lives.”
Each year, proceeds from Creatives Care Dallas will benefit a local arts nonprofit. The 2026 recipient is Amplified Minds, a Dallas-based organization that provides free therapy and counseling for adults, including LGBTQIA+ support and group sessions.
“This support helps us continue providing free mental health services for the creative community—fostering safe, inclusive spaces where people can connect, heal and thrive,” said Lauren O’Connor, president of Amplified Minds.
The idea for Creatives Care Dallas began when Kirkenaer-Hart sought ways to help local musicians access healthcare. Conversations with artists—including McCloud, who emphasized the need for affordable medical care—helped expand the focus to all gig-based creatives.
That vision aligned with Sanders’ work at Arete Health, which specializes in community-centered, affordable care models. Together, they built a partnership to serve Dallas’ creative economy—one shaped by passion but often underserved by traditional health systems.
The program also honors the memory of Dallas poet Rage Almighty, who died in 2019 without access to affordable healthcare. His passing inspired Sanders and Kirkenaer-Hart to create a solution that helps ensure local artists never have to choose between their health and their craft.
- Membership: $65/month; up to five people per membership
- Services: Virtual primary care, 24/7 urgent telemedicine, behavioral health, $0 co-pay for top 2,000 medications
- Eligibility: Dallas County creatives with 1099/contract/project-based income; with or without existing insurance
- Administration: Enrollment, billing and care by Arete Health Shield
- Annual beneficiary: Proceeds support a designated local arts nonprofit (2026: Amplified Minds)
Enrollment opens Oct. 24 at visitdallas.com/creatives-care-dallas.
Visit Dallas is a not-for-profit organization that promotes Dallas as a premier destination for business and leisure travel, driving economic impact and supporting local jobs.
Arete Health is a healthcare innovation firm focused on making high-quality, affordable care accessible through preventive medicine and modern insurance models.
Amplified Minds is a Dallas-based nonprofit providing free mental health services for adults 18 and older, with a mission to create inclusive, stigma-free access to care for the creative community.
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