Entry No. 15 — the Dallas file — filed under: metal shack
Cheerleader
“perfect museum walls seem really boring”
A contemporary art gallery run by Brent Birnbaum inside a corrugated metal shack surrounded by steel manufacturing plants. The curator deliberately kept the rough industrial bones intact, saying 'perfect museum walls seem really boring,' and shows textiles, ceramics and other contemporary work.
The story
You didn't hear it from us, but one of Dallas's most uncompromising contemporary art spaces operates out of a corrugated metal shack on Mansfield Street, deep inside an industrial pocket surrounded by active steel manufacturing plants. Instead of hushed museum corridors and polite air conditioning, your background soundtrack here is the real-time hammering and sawing of heavy metal fabrication. Artist-gallerist Brent Birnbaum originally leased the raw warehouse shed as his personal studio before realizing the space belonged to the public. He dubbed it Cheerleader—a cheeky nod to Texas's sports mania and a literal description of his mission to champion under-the-radar artists.
Having previously run DIY galleries in New York, Birnbaum relocated to North Texas and noticed that while New York had dozens of independent venues, Dallas had only a fraction. Rather than scrubbing away the building's rough history, he deliberately left its industrial bones intact, complete with sliding metal barn doors and exposed structural rods overhead—declaring that "perfect museum walls seem really boring." Because Birnbaum maintains his own working studio in the back and does not rely on commercial art sales to keep the lights on, he takes genuine curatorial risks, staging exhibits that range from tactile textiles to irreverent ceramics.
What it's like
Navigating to Mansfield Street feels like wandering somewhere you aren't supposed to be. There are no polished signs or glass storefronts; look for the steel-beam manufacturing plant sharing the block and spot the metal shed right beside it down the dirt road. Inside, the space is gloriously unpretentious and raw, unfiltered by traditional gallery polish. Keep in mind there is no restroom on-site (if duty calls, Birnbaum will point you toward the nearest gas station down the road). Official public hours are strictly limited to Saturday afternoons from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, but because this is a precarious DIY operation, always double-check the gallery's Instagram account for last-minute schedule changes before driving out.
The move: Go on a Saturday afternoon when it's open to the public, then wander the surrounding industrial blocks before dinner in Trinity Groves.
📍 Before you go This one sits down a dirt road just south of downtown in the Cedars, with no real signage — aim for the steel-beam manufacturer it shares the block with and you'll find the shed beside it. It genuinely feels like you've wandered somewhere you shouldn't be, which is half the charm. Public hours fall on Saturday afternoons; otherwise it's by appointment, and since it's a precarious DIY space those windows shift — check the gallery's Instagram before you make the drive out. There's no restroom (a gas station's nearby), and it's an active industrial block, so keep clear of the working yards. Easy to fold into a Deep Ellum or Southside wander afterward.
- 📍 industrial West Dallas / near Trinity Groves
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2500 Mansfield Street, Dallas, TX
Hours: Saturdays 1-4pm and by appointment. Precarious DIY space; confirm via Instagram before going.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Cedars Bowler Hat & Stanley's Umbrella — Pair Cheerleader's industrial art shed with a quick street-level wander through The Cedars to hunt down two giant roadside sculptures hidden just down the road.
- Sons of Hermann Hall — Trade the metallic clatter of Mansfield Street's steel yards for cheap beer inside Dallas's oldest standing wooden lodge over in Deep Ellum.
- Dolly Python — Continue your search for offbeat visual culture by browsing taxidermy, wet specimens, and oddities inside this sprawling vintage emporium.
Good to know
Where is Cheerleader located?
It sits in an active industrial zone near Trinity Groves and The Cedars at 2500 Mansfield Street, right beside a steel-beam manufacturer.
What are the gallery's open hours?
Public walk-in hours are Saturdays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, or by appointment. Always verify on Instagram before visiting as DIY hours can shift.
Are there public restrooms at the gallery?
No, the metal shack has no restroom inside. Visitors are directed to a nearby gas station.
Who runs the space and what art is shown?
It is curated by artist Brent Birnbaum, showing experimental contemporary works including ceramics, textiles, and installations by emerging artists.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: keranews.org · artsandculturetx.com
last checked: 2026-06-06