Artistic expression paved the way for Cinetrea Grace to flourish throughout her life.
She’s spent the past 20 years working to ensure others in Fort Worth have similar creative outlets that inspire them to fly.
Grace, 61, is the founder and CEO of 619 Productions, an organization that offers free and low-cost arts programming to children, adults and seniors in some of the city’s underserved communities.
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At the end of the year, these rarely recognized heroes will gather for a luncheon where the Report will announce one honoree to represent Tarrant County at the Jefferson Awards in Washington, D.C.
Founded in 2001, the organization offers after-school theater, dance, music and writing classes at Handley Meadowbrook and Como community centers. 619 Productions also offers end-of-school year presentations and a musical production for a select group of children who audition.
“My love has always been community,” Grace said. “It’s important not just for the kids, but the adults to have an outlet. Some are still carrying burdens, because they never got to do their artistic stuff.”
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Her dedication to the arts earned her recognition in 52 Faces of Community, the Fort Worth Report’s weekly series spotlighting unsung heroes in Tarrant County.
Grace’s love of the arts has been embedded in her since birth. Her father, who was born in Harlem and played the conga drums, created a “strong love” for music in the household, she said. Grace was later exposed to writing poetry and acting through her drama teacher Mary Porter at Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Middle School in south Fort Worth.
“My teacher was the spark that lit the match,” she said.
Grace has worked as a professional artist for over three decades, starring in commercials, shorts films and stage productions. She’s also recorded music and coordinated TV productions for major networks in Los Angeles.
Her involvement with the arts in Fort Worth only grew after experiencing the deaths of nine family and friends over the span of three years in the late 1990s. She turned her grief into positivity by sharing her passion for the arts with communities that had limited access to creative programming — the same love Porter instilled in her.
Cinetrea Grace, center, poses with performers of “Timmy’s Dance: The Musical” at I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA in late July. (Courtesy photo | Cinetrea Grace)
619 Productions has served over 10,000 students in Handley and Como since its launch, Grace said.
“A lot of my students have gone on to do great things and we helped a lot,” she said. “Some of them come because this is their joy, this is their comfort.”
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One of those students was Samille Kotei, who was introduced to the organization while she was captain of the drill team at Dunbar High School in the late 2000s. Grace was looking for dancers for a stage production and Kotei jumped on the opportunity.
Kotei learned how to grow her craft and perform with confidence through Grace’s mentorship, she said, something she carries with her now as an actress and singer living in Atlanta. Kotei’s love for the arts also elevated her to board president of 619 Productions, making her the only program alumna to lead within the organization.
“Ms. Cinetrea is a very hands-on, reality driven person. She’s motivating, uplifting and pulls out the best in anybody. Even a person who never had any art experience would come out, and you would think they have been performing their entire lives.”
Samille Kotei, 619 Productions board president
As Grace continues to bring the arts to Fort Worthians where they need it, she has her heart set on opening her own large-scale performing arts complex one day. She’s not sure on a location, but she always strives to ensure she has “tears of creativity” constantly flowing.
Because in her mind, a true artist never stops soaring to new heights.
Cinetrea Grace in the lobby of her organization’s office space in east Fort Worth on Oct. 13, 2025. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
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