Heart on Main Street to Receive HEARTS Award at the 36th ARTS Award Ceremony
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, announce Heart on Main Street as the HEARTS Award recipient for their service to others and humanitarian excellence. The award will be presented at the 36th ARTS Awards, taking place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Friday, January 9, 2026.
This year, the ARTS Awards Committee selected Heart on Main Street as the honoree to receive the award for helping small businesses with tools, resources, and education to succeed. The HEARTS Award is a special honor that began as an entire event during the pandemic. In June of 2021, the annual ARTS Awards were replaced by a one-time special event called the HEARTS Awards held in partnership and solidarity with twelve leading industry organizations to honor companies and individuals that have shown outstanding leadership, empathy, and service during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the return of the ARTS Awards to an in-person event, organizations were invited to nominate a worthy organization for a HEARTS Award as a special award presented at the ARTS Awards.
“The HEARTS Award is about celebrating organizations that go beyond business to make a real difference. Heart on Main Street is doing exactly that,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Providing critical resources and real-world relief when communities need it most. Their work exemplifies resilience, compassion, and leadership in action."
Added Sharon Davis, executive director of ART: “Independent retailers are the backbone of our industry, and Heart on Main Street has become a trusted partner to the entire community. From disaster recovery to everyday education, their programs don’t just help stores reopen—they help them reimagine what’s possible. That kind of vision inspires all of us to invest in and protect the spirit of Main Street.”
Heart on Main Street, founded in 2023, is dedicated to strengthening independent retailers who serve as the backbone of Main Street communities. The organization provides essential tools, resources, and education to help small businesses refine their operations, evolve with changing times, and better serve their neighborhoods. Its impact has been especially powerful in times of crisis; through disaster relief efforts, Heart on Main Street has offered financial assistance, free inventory, and hands-on volunteer support to retailers devastated by floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires, helping dozens of businesses relaunch and remain vital anchors in their communities. Beyond recovery, its monthly educational webinars have reached thousands of retailers, providing practical skills and strategies for long-term success. By combining immediate aid with ongoing guidance, Heart on Main Street not only uplifts retailers but also reinforces the heart of local economies, making it a truly deserving recipient of the ARTS Hearts Award.
“We are incredibly honored to be recognized as the 2026 HEARTS Award recipient. At Heart on Main Street, our mission has always been to lift independent retailers and the communities they serve. Whether that is through business education or helping stores rebuild in the wake of natural disasters,” said Patrick Keiser, Executive Director, Heart on Main Street. “This award reflects the countless small business owners who pour their hearts into their Main Streets every day, and we are proud to support them every step of the way. We’re deeply grateful to be acknowledged for the work we’re doing to make sure these businesses not only survive but thrive.”
In addition to the Academy of Achievement, dozens of category awards will be presented at the ARTS Awards to retailers, manufacturers, designers, and sales representatives. All 36th ARTS Awards finalists can be viewed at www.dallasmarketcenter.com/artsawards/arts-finalists/. Reservations for the ARTS Awards open in early October. Tickets will be $190 for ART members and $225 for non-members. Discounted rates for full tables of (8) and (10) guests are also available.
Gold media and organization sponsors for the ARTS Awards are: Designers Today, Furniture Today, Gifts & Decorative Accessories, Home Accents Today, and Home Textiles Today. Silver media and organization sponsors for the ARTS Awards are: Lighting News Now and Design News Now. Bronze media and organization sponsors for the ARTS Awards are: Modern Luxury - Texas Interiors, PaperCity, Luxe Business of Home, Interior Design Society, Aspire Design and Home, and Sustainable Furnishings Council.
Keep up-to-date with Dallas Market Center events and happenings on Facebook and Instagram, and use #ARTSAwards to stay connected.
To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center and Lightovation Apps. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Instagram, and the DMC Blog.
About the ARTS Awards
The ARTS Awards is the premier international awards program dedicated to the home industry. Up to 28 categories exist under the headings Manufacturer, Retailer, Product Designer, Interior Designer, Sales Representative, Green Award, and other specialty honors. Anyone in the industry can nominate including manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives, designers, suppliers, consultants, and other industry officials. Companies that have won an ARTS Award five times are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Current Hall of Fame members are: Arteriors Home, Beatriz Ball, Bella Casa, BJ’s Home Accents, C.S. Wo & Sons, Distinctive Designs International Inc., Elements at Home, Feizy Rugs, Fine Art Lamps, Global Views, HW Home, Loloi Rugs, Montaage, Natural Decorations Inc., Palecek, Paragon, Phillips Collection, Robb & Stucky, Schonbek Worldwide Lighting, Seasonal Living, and Vietri.
About ART
ART is the creative home furnishings network representing manufacturers, retailers, representatives, and other individuals and companies interested in promoting and enhancing the market position of the home furnishings industry. Each year ART sponsors programs such as the ART conference, regional educational seminars, the ART card, and the ARTS Awards. The ART website is available at www.accessoriesresourceteam.org.
About Dallas Market Center
Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers and interior designers with top manufacturers in home décor, furniture, gifts, lighting and fashion. Inside its dynamic, five million square foot campus, nearly 200,000 customers from all 50 states and 85 countries seek industry trends, business education and new products from exhibitors throughout the year via dominant trade events for gift, home décor, holiday and floral; the nation’s most comprehensive apparel and accessories markets featuring the latest styles from East Coast and West Coast designers; the world’s largest western marketplace, opening in 2021; the largest residential lighting trade event in North America; and the largest and most successful open-daily design center. The marketplace is located in the strongest economic zone in the country. In addition, more than 80 percent of Dallas Market Center buyers report that they do not shop other market centers. To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center and Lightovation Apps. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the DMC Blog.
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