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Your weekly guide to Houston: Five (plus) don't-miss events — cosmic mixer included

On the agenda this week are the opening of a hyper local art exhibition, a film festival that explores architecture's relationship to the natural order, a community market and talent showcase, an artsy display of Houston prowess and a young professionals pity party for a has-been cosmic A-lister.

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston opening reception: Right Here, Right Now: Houston

The title of this hyper local exhibition says it all. Contemporary Arts Museum Houston director Bill Arning and curators Valerie Cassel Oliver and Dean Daderko chose to focus on the works of Debra Barrera, Nathaniel Donnett and Carrie Marie Schneider in an effort to bring attention to what's happening right here in Houston, artistically speaking, at the present moment in time.

The skinny: Friday, 6:30-9 p.m.; Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; free event.

Fourth Annual ArCH Film Festival "Architecture Meets Life"

The three-day festival continues on Friday and Saturday with The Human Scale, a film that explores how spaces influence human interaction by looking at urban centers such as New York, Berlin and London; and Biophilic Design, a survey of how buildings should connect to nature.

The skinny: Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m.; Architecture Center Houston; $10 per screening.

Project Row Houses' Third Ward Community Market and Talent Showcase

Project Row Houses is one of the most successful arts-centered experiments in which creativity acts as a catalyst for social change and community enrichment. Founder Rick Lowe's vision has surely been noticed: He was appointed by Mayor Annise Parker as one of the co-chairs to develop a cultural strategic plan to bolster local arts endeavors.

You can get a taste of what this Third Ward destination is all about at this relatively new ongoing event. This showcase — a mixture of performances, visual art, installations and hands-on activities — spotlights emerging artists in a family-friendly display.

The skinny: Saturday, 3-7 p.m.; Project Row Houses; free event.

21st Annual TransCanada Theater District Open House

Think of this affair that's held at the Hobby Center, Alley Theatre, Jones Hall, Wortham Theater Center and Bayou Music Center as an appetizer to the city's menu of delectable artsy offerings that contributes to the city's national standing as a desirable place to call home.

Hands down the best prices on subscriptions and select single tickets to downtown's performing art presenters are available during Theater District Open House. Check out the day's activities here to plan your outing. How does a free tango lesson sound?

The skinny: Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Theater District; free event.

Houston Museum of Natural Science's Mixers and Elixirs

He was the smallest of the bunch, the little planet that couldn't. Although he enjoyed many years in the company of other official planets, eventually Pluto's true self was revealed: He was a dwarf planet and no longer belonged among the other cosmic A-listers.

The theme for this month's Mixers and Elixiers young professionals brainy fete pays homage to the celestial body with music courtesy of the Space Rockers, drinks and grub from H-Town StrEATs, Coreanos and Golden Grill.

The skinny: Sunday, 7-10 p.m.; Houston Museum of Natural Science: $20.

Project Row Houses' Third Ward Community Market and Talent Showcase is a mixture of performances, visual art, installations and hands-on activities.

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Revving up

Beloved Houston Art Car Museum will live on in new permanent home

Courtesy Art Car Museum

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Six months ago, Houston's Art Car Museum rolled out the news that it would shutter at the end of April. But now, plans are revving up to not only keep it open, but give it a brand new home - one where its delightful quirkiness will find a kindred spirit in strangeness.

A $1.25 million gift from the Harithas Family through the South Texas Charitable Foundation will give the recently closed museum a new home on the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art’s soon-to-be-redeveloped campus, located at the intersection of two of Houston’s most culturally significant neighborhoods, the Third Ward and the East End. The gift will ensure a permanent space celebrating art cars.

Visitors can expect rotating exhibitions of mobile masterpieces designed by local, national, and international artists, as well as the personal art car collection of Ann Harithas, who founded the Art Car Museum in 1998 with her husband, Jim. Ann passed away in 2021. Jim followed in 2023 and the beloved museum was left to their heirs, son Thomas Pascal “Will” Robinson and daughters Madeline Merrill, Molly Kemp, and Stephanie Loeffler.

Purple Reign art car Purple Reign cruising through downtown Houston for the Art Car Parade. Courtesy Art Car Museum

Ann and Jim' Harithas' low-slung metal building on Heights Boulevard was nicknamed the "Garage Mahal," and gave visitors an up-close look at several art cars. Ann particularly enjoyed how art cars opened creative thinking to the masses and changed the way people thought about everyday objects.

The mobile masterpieces weren't the only things on display at the museum, however. Across its 26 years, the museum showcased artists of all mediums who were often refused representation from other arts institutions, from art cars to paintings, photography, and film, including Harithas’ own collage work.

The family says the Orange Show is a perfect place to carry on the art car legacy.

“The Orange Show was built on a foundation of supporting artists from all walks of life, and encouraging anyone to explore their personal creativity,” said Robinson, who sits on the Orange Show Center's board. “We couldn’t be happier to entrust the Orange Show with our mother’s legacy and continue allowing Houston and the world.”

Orange Show headquarters expansion The Orange Show will be the new home of the Art Car Museum. Rendering courtesy of Rogers Partners

No opening date has been set, but it's likely to be years in the future. Back in 2021, the Orange Show announced a major expansion project, which included expanded exhibit space adjacent to the Orange Show Monument.

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art has produced the annual Art Car Parade for decades, but otherwise was not a part of the museum showcasing them. This gift now ensures the two creative forces are together.

art car museum art cars harithas family orange show center south texas charitable foundation museums

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Your weekly guide to Houston: Five (plus) don't-miss events — cosmic mixer included

Project Row Houses' Third Ward Community Market and Talent Showcase is a mixture of performances, visual art, installations and hands-on activities.

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Revving up

Beloved Houston Art Car Museum will live on in new permanent home