a major gift for minority art

Houston minority arts groups gifted unprecedented $10 million boost

Organizations such as Project Row Houses have been identified as crucial in Houston.

Courtesy photo

Historically in America, Black, LatinX, Asian, and Indigenous arts organizations have been underfunded and underrepresented. To that end, two organizations have partnered to make an unprecedented gift to minority cultural groups in Houston.

Houston Endowment and the Ford Foundation announced a donation of approximately $10 million towards funding “America’s Cultural Treasures” in Houston. The funds are intended to provide general operating and capacity-building support to local long-standing arts organizations and enable them to not only weather the current pandemic, but to be stronger, and more resilient going forward, according to a press release.

Houston Endowment will lead a program to identify local grant recipients, in collaboration with other local donors. The regional campaign was seeded by an initial $35 million in support from the Ford Foundation across seven regions. Local foundations drove fundraising and design for individually tailored grantmaking initiatives. The scope and recipients of each program will be announced in early 2021.

These efforts are part of a new $156 million national initiative by the Ford Foundation that aims to support what Ford described as arts and culture groups “that have been historically marginalized, underfunded and underrepresented in the narrative of American culture.” Some 20 organizations, including Project Row Houses in Houston were recognized as significant anchors for cultural diversity from across the country, according to a press release.

“Houston’s cultural organizations of color celebrate our region’s extraordinary diversity and foster our connections to each other. This initiative, which will provide meaningful support to important organizations during a time of great challenge, carries with it the potential to transform the funding landscape and significantly advance racial equity,” said Ann Stern, president and CEO of the Houston Endowment, in a statement.

“We are grateful to the Ford Foundation for creating this opportunity and proud to represent the Houston area in this work.”

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Get inspired

Noted Houston street artist paints vibrant new mural at downtown venue

Photo courtesy of Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

GONZO247 poses in front of his new mural, "Houston is Inspired" inside Hobby Center

Visitors to the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts can now see an incredible new mural by one of Houston's most iconic street artists.Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr., known as Gonzo247, debuted his piece, "Houston is Inspired" on Friday, December 12.

“This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston," said the artist in a statement. "It’s that raw, vibrant hustle — the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art — it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

The piece is called "Houston is Inspired," after the program at Hobby meant to showcase local performers by offering them week-long residencies on a prestigious stage. This season includes CJ Emmons's one-man comedy musical show I'm Freaking Talented; a rhythmic interactive storytelling experience called Our Road Home by Jakari Sherman; and Lavanya Rajagopalan's combination of music, dance and verse, Kāvya: Poetry in Motion. Information about all three shows, including ticket prices and availability, can be found at TheHobbyCenter.org.

The last show (debuting May 1) was a particular inspiration to Gonzo247. Viewers may notice a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Rajagopalan's show.

The Houston is Inspired program was launched launched in the 2023-2024 season. In addition to the residency in Zilkha Hall, artists are given a $20,000 stipend for production and marketing costs. It is now a permanent fixture of the Hobby season. Applicants for future seasons can submit here.

Known for his original "Houston is Inspired" mural in downtown's Market Square, Gonzo247 has been an active force in Houston art for 30 years, including producing the video series Aerosol Warfare about the street art scene in the 1990s and 2000s as well as founding the Graffiti and Street Art Museum. He also served as the artist liaison for Meow Wolf's Houston installation. If anyone's visual vision is perfect to welcome audience members to shows highlighting homegrown talent, it's him.

“Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see — it’s what you feel," he said. "This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture — the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

visual-art downtown mural gonzo247