Public art, public issues

Houston draws coveted finalist spot in prestigious national arts grant competition

The "Wild Wonderland mosaic mural" on display at Midtown Park.

Photo courtesy of Midtown Houston

In a nod to our thriving cultural diaspora, Houston has been named among 17 U.S. cities named as a finalist in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. The prestigious competition will award grants of up to $1 million to 10 cities. Winners will be announced this fall.

According to a press release announcing Houston's finalist ranking, the Bayou City stood out for its proposal HueMan: Shelter, a groundbreaking public art effort designed to disrupt perceptions of homelessness.

The project aims to bring together artists and unsheltered individuals to create visual stories from their lived experiences. It includes the activation of nine sites for public artworks along a main street corridor in Midtown Houston.

The art initiative is a collaboration between the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the Midtown Houston Cultural Arts and Entertainment District in partnership with The City of Houston, the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston, the Career and Recovery Resources, Inc., and METRO Houston. Houston's recognition as a finalist in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge showcases the city's commitment to the arts, innovation, and Midtown Houston’s continued work curating public art that addresses social issues.

"We're thrilled to be selected as a finalist for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in the same release. "HueMan: Shelter is an innovative project that will not only transform our city's landscape but also foster empathy and understanding for our unsheltered community members. We're excited about the opportunity to showcase Houston's vibrant creative scene and make a positive impact in the lives of our vulnerable populations."

The cities selected as winners of the Public Art Challenge will receive monies to execute their projects over the next two years. The grants cover project-related expenditures, including development, execution, and marketing, but will not fund 100 percent of the total project costs.

Houston was one of 150 cities in 40 states that applied for the challenge.

Bloomberg Philanthropies' Public Art Challenge has a proven record of success. The 2018 round of the Challenge, awarded to five cities, catalyzed more than $100 million in economic benefit for local economies and shed light on critical civic issues. It resulted in projects addressing climate change, neighborhood blight, healing after gun violence, and commemorating the centennial of Greenwood's 1921 Black Wall Street Massacre.

“Public art provides a creative way to bring communities together, strengthen local economies, and make cities more inspiring and dynamic,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City. “This year’s proposals show that public art, and the partnerships they forge between artists and local governments, is stronger than ever.”

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