Two years after shutting down her longtime children’s theater company, a prominent Fort Worth performing arts leader is focused on a new business venture.
Deborah Jung launched the summer theater program, KidPower Camp, in partnership with the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.
She previously led KWC Performing Arts, formerly known as Kids Who Care, for 35 years until ceasing operations in summer 2024. The nonprofit produced shows, offered summer theater classes and gave many local performers their first onstage experience.
The new camp kicks off July 13 and offers children between first and 12th grade the chance to receive onstage musical theater training and learn about the technical aspects of productions. Nearly 40 children had signed up as of Friday.
KidPower Camp concludes with an Aug. 1 performance of the original musical “District XI: Believe in Me!” inside the Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater. The production supercharges live theater with the dome’s visual technology and projections.
“I’ve always encouraged children to act on their dreams by giving them the toolset to do that as entrepreneurs and creative artists,” Jung said.
The camp serves as an extension of Jung’s consulting business, KidPower Leadership, and came about after she took a yearlong break to “be quiet for a minute.”
She joked that some people thought she was dead. In reality, she needed time to create a program that carried her previous company’s legacy into a new space. The plan was not to revive KWC since that nonprofit’s spirit was tied to another Cultural District building, she explained.
The leader shut down KWC when its longtime home, the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, faced $30 million repairs and redevelopment proposals failed to move forward. The state of the building led to the company’s end, Jung said.
Since then, the city-owned arts center has closed to the public and its future remains up in the air.
“It’s OK to pause and say ‘what will we become next and where do we need to go with this idea of children can change the world?’” Jung said. “As much as we adored the building, letting go allowed us to see what we were free to do now.”
A coalition of Fort Worth foundations are expected to launch a feasibility study this month to determine the future of the community arts center. The study is expected to take four to five months to complete.
If the community arts center reopens, Jung said, she could “absolutely” see KWC return, but any formal discussions would depend on study results and city leaders’ decisions.
Deborah Jung wears a vintage Kids Who Care shirt during a visit to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History on July 8, 2026. (David Moreno | Fort Worth Report)
The partnership with KidPower Leadership felt like a natural fit for the Museum of Science and History since both organizations are focused on educational and cultural experiences for Fort Worth children, said museum president Regina Faden.
“Together, we have an exciting opportunity here to provide experience that will help young people build confidence, develop critical thinking skills and truly see themselves as future leaders,” Faden said in a news release.
As Jung counts down to the start of the inaugural camp, she is optimistic the program will be a success.
“Things move in the order they’re supposed to move,” Jung said. “What I believe really in my heart is that this move for us will end up being one of the best things that’s ever happened.”
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
The Fort Worth Report’s arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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