a whole new space

Get a sneak peek at the Rothko Chapel's $30 million renovation

The Rothko Chapel is undergoing a significant restoration.

Photo courtesy of Rothko Chapel

The famed Rothko Chapel in Montrose will reopen to the public in June 2020. ABC13 got a sneak peek of the ongoing restoration efforts.

David Leslie, the chapel's executive director, says the work is part of the Opening Spaces capital project.The plan calls for more green space, outreach space, and the chapel's restoration.

"I think for people who have never come before, it's one of those jewels in the city that has a pretty small footprint, but a very big reach," says Leslie. "I would say if you want to get to know Houston, and you want to get to know the diverse dimensions of Houston, the Rothko Chapel just has to be on your list."

Allston Marble of Linbeck Construction says it has been a special and unique process breathing life into the building.

"It's gone well so far," says Marble. "It means a lot to the city. It's important for us to do a good job on it and make sure it goes back to the original vision. It's been a fantastic project. We have football and the rodeo, but we also have a really rich arts culture. I love being able to work on it."

Founded by John and Dominique de Menil and designed by architects Philip Johnson, Howard Barnstone, and Eugene Aubry, in close collaboration with renowned artist Mark Rothko, the chapel was gifted to Houstonians as a place for contemplation and reflection. The chapel holds 14 masterpiece paintings by Rothko on its eight walls and has become a center of peace for Houston and the world.

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For more on this story, including video of the restoration, visit our content partner, ABC13.

museums

let's roll

Soccer star and Grammy-winning singer will lead Houston Art Car Parade

Courtesy of the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art

Art Car weekend returns April 9-12.

If you see a lot of unusual-looking automobiles on the streets and freeways next month, it’ll be for one simple reason: the Art Car Parade is back.

The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art announced the return of the Houston Art Car Parade Weekend presented by Team Gillman, taking place Thursday, April 9 through Sunday, April 12. This will culminate in the Houston Art Car Parade – its 39th – on Saturday, April 11, featuring more than 250 one-of-a-kind, rolling works of art.

The four-day celebration transforms the city into a canvas of color, creativity, and community, with the parade serving as the weekend’s crowning spectacle, drawing more than 315,000 spectators annually and making it the largest free cultural event in Houston. Serving as the 2026 Featured Artist is Phillip Pyle II, a visual artist, graphic designer, and photographer whose work engages with issues of race and popular culture through the lens of graphic design.

This year’s grand marshals, former Houston Dynamo player Brian Ching and singer/The Suffers frontwoman Kam Franklin, represent two powerful pillars of Houston’s cultural identity: sports and music. Ching and Franklin join a distinguished list of past marshals, including Bun B, Carl Lewis, Marilyn Oshman, J.J. Watt, Dan Aykroyd and George Clinton.

“This year’s Orange Show Art Car Parade honors Kam Franklin and Brian Ching as Grand Marshals,” said Orange Show executive director Jack Massing. “Selected for their positive contributions as Houstonians, both are dedicated community leaders committed to fostering creativity through music and sports, helping build a happier, healthier city.”

Attendance remains free and open to the public, reinforcing the Orange Show’s mission to make art accessible to all. For those looking to immerse themselves in the parade’s energy while supporting its mission, the VIPit offers a festival-style atmosphere with limited tables and reserved grandstand seating starting at $250. Admission includes complimentary food and beverages from Houston favorites, private restrooms, and premium parade views. Proceeds directly fund year-round Art Car programming at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, including Art Cars in Schools, a curriculum aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards that brings hands-on creative learning into classrooms across the region.

For more information, visit the Orange Show website.

art car parade brian ching kam franklin houston