LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: Both of our major local orchestras received news this week that at least helps clarify their futures. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, hit with a double shot of rising rents and lost engagements, came to a contract agreement with its musicians that calls for a 13 percent paycut. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra has also had money woes, but things are looking up there as a $50 million capital campaign has gotten off to a fast start.  “This is the opportunity really to plan a little bit forward and to secure greatness for the orchestra,” DSO Music Director Jaap van Zweden tells Scott Cantrell in a dallasnews.com story analizing the two orchestra’s financial situations. “It’s very important for an orchestra to be able to make plans, and not to depend on the year-to-year fundraising.”

WRANGLING THE WRITERS: Last week, the lineup for the 2011 Arts & Letters Live series was announced. If you’ve ever wondered how the series comes together, Dallas Museum of Art director of programming Carolyn Bess breaks it all down on the museum’s Uncrated blog.

QUOTABLE: “If it’s buzzing in New York, if it’s buzzing in D.C., it should be buzzing in Fort Worth.”

– New Jubilee Theatre Artistic Director Tre Garrett. Read more about the 29-year-old Houston native at dfw.com.