City of Houston grants $100,000 to 10 innovative arts organizations

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Here are what Houston art projects will be created with these grants. Photo by Morris Malakoff

Ten Houston individuals and nonprofits are beneficiaries of grants totaling $100,000 for efforts to furthers cultural tourism and resilience throughout the City of Houston.

The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) awarded the funds through the Initiative, a competitive grant program administered by Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) and funded by a portion of the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax.

The application period is open three times annually and grant funding falls into three categories: Art + Neighborhood Cultural Destinations, Art + Disaster Resilience Awareness, and Art + Conference Tourism.

Here is a look at the winners and the projects that will be created with these grants.

Art + Conference Tourism

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston
This week, from September 16-19, the museum, in partnership with Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy (HFTC) and artist Theaster Gates, hosts Houston’s edition of the renowned Black Artists Retreat (B.A.R). The initiative explores the concept of “Black Land Ownership and Space: Black Stabilization and Determination." The four-day event brings together speakers, panelists, and experts from Houston and across the country to elevate and inspire the brain trust in local Black and BIPOC artists, creatives, and intellectuals. Programming occurs in Houston Freedmen’s Town, POST Houston, and CAMH.

One Sample Cultural Foundation
The organization will use its grant to produce the Ethnography of Afro-Venezuelan Music, a multidisciplinary educational conference that includes videos, music, and dance that exploring the syncretism of African culture and European religious practices in Venezuela through music. This free event will take place twice — at the Institute of Hispanic Culture of Houston on October 10 and at Teatro Bilingüe de Houston on April 13, 2025. The project aims to strengthen ties between the African American and Venezuelan communities and promote a dynamic cultural exchange.

SoulSista Art Foundation
The organization hosts a conference highlighting Houston’s contributions to the new music business at Houston Warehouse Studio on November 11. Free and open to the general public, it will include performances from selected poets and Afrobeats artists who have been recognized over the years in Houston, along with a DJ and food trucks. Donations will be accepted.

Art + Neighborhood Cultural Destinations

DaCamera
The music organization will use its grant for a series of jazz concerts at the historic El Dorado Ballroom in Third Ward. DaCamera at The Eldorado: Rising Jazz Stars features up-and-coming jazz artists from around the country, providing a new opportunity for Houstonians to experience the next generation of outstanding jazz talent. Concerts begin in October and run through May 2025. All performances will be pay-what-you-can.

Dance Afrikana
A curated exhibition, digital dance archive, and a book are planned as part of the organization's Black Dance in Texas multidisciplinary project. Documenting the rich history of Black dance in the state, this project is an extension of the research project by Dance Afrikana’s founder and Scholar-in-Residence for Rice University’s CERCL Program at the African American History Research Center Gregory Campus.

Norma Jo Thomas
The composer's original musical, Carol of the Bells, will have its world premiere on December 14 at the C. Lee Turner Performing Arts Center on the campus of Lone Star College. The holiday offering is part of Thomas' ongoing tradition to bring cultural programming to the community, and is part of an Acres Homes community collaboration.

The Pilot Dance Project

Celebrated Houston-based choreographer Cynthia Garcia presents Loteria, which brings to life the characters of the traditional Mexican board game. In an urban landscape of constant gentrification, often cultural signifiers, customs, and traditions are left behind to show the legacies of cultural communities. The work will be performed at two major cultural events in gentrified neighborhoods that have histories as Mexican and Mexican American neighborhoods, MECA’s Day of the Dead Festival in October and the MD Anderson YMCA’s annual posada in Near Northside in December.

University of Houston Foundation
Seven-time Grammy Award-winner Terence Blanchard will engage communities from Third Ward and downtown Houston in a series of events. In addition to performing a concert, the jazz legend will collaborate with University of Houston and University of Houston-Downtown students. Performance will take place November 7, 8, and 10 at the Wortham Theater Center or at the University of Houston Moores School of Music. A fireside chat and workshop are also part of the visit.

Art + Resilience Awareness

Group Acorde
The organization's Batimento Cardiaco is a new work that depicts Houstonians' mental health before, during, and after a natural disaster occurs. It will premiere at the MATCH October 3 and 4, and feature musicians, two contemporary dance choreographers, and a visual artist who've collaborated on this important work. Sets and costumes are made of recyclable materials. A discussion will follow the performance. Rehearsals streamed on Group Acorde's social media will give audiences a look at the work as it develops.

Lance Flowers
The artists solo exhibit, Take Me As I Am, takes place simultaneously at the Hogan Brown Gallery in Third Ward and Yale University’s Institute for Sacred Music. It's a collection of new 2D works, videography, music, and photography pieces highlighting Third Ward and its community, and all the materials used will be gathered from the Third Ward. It's curated by gallery director Robert Hodge. The Yale portion of this show has received its own funding.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

Simulation runs through June 30 downtown. Photo via Post Houston

Creative Houston art duo unveils dreamy new tech world in downtown's hottest destination

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Aclever, Houston-based duo has unveiled a new digital art experience at downtown’s hottest hub. Creative technologist Billy Baccam and multidisciplinary artist Alex Ramos, founders of Input Output Creative Media Lab, have launched “Simulation,” the first artist residency at Post Houston. The show runs through June 30.

The creative team has transformed part of POST Houston's X atrium into a creative media lab. There, Baccam and Ramos have experimented with various kinds of emerging technologies to prototype and develop art experiences.

Mediums in the show include projection mapping, 3D printing, body tracking, camera vision, augmented reality, LEDs, and computer simulation, per a press release.

The “Simulation” layout utilizes the glass wall as an interface for the public to experience the art. Internally, viewers can see an amalgamation of machinery, wires, gizmos, and gadgets similar to the inner workings of a computer.

Externally, viewers can explore and interact with the art through the glass wall via body tracking sensors, augmented reality via QR codes, and just by merely watching. Various books, movies, and other memorabilia have been scattered throughout the space to showcase inspiration on the subject matter of simulations and their influence on culture, a release notes.

“We’re super excited to be able to share the art we have diligently been working on for ‘Simulation,’” the team notes in a statement. “We’ve been able to explore a variety of new mediums such as 3D printing and augmented reality while also getting a chance to dive deeper into our previous works based on projection mapping, interactivity, and computer simulations. As we continue to create, learn, and iterate, the pieces will also evolve to reflect our growth. We thank the public for engaging with our work and bringing about moments of joy and wonder.”

For more information on the duo, visit www.inputoutput.space or @1nput0utput on Instagram.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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Microsoft partners with Rice University's OpenStax on AI teaching tool

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Rice University’s OpenStax and Microsoft are partnering to integrate the nonprofit’s content with the tech giant’s AI innovation, known as Learning Zone.

“At OpenStax, our mission is to make an amazing education accessible to all,” Richard G. Baraniuk, founder and director of OpenStax, said in a news release. “That’s why we’re excited to integrate our trustworthy, peer-reviewed content with Microsoft’s AI technology through the Microsoft Learning Zone. Together, we aim to help more instructors and their students access engaging, effective learning experiences in new and dynamic ways. We also share a strong commitment to the thoughtful and responsible application of AI to better ensure all learners can succeed.”

OpenStax is a provider of affordable instructional technologies and is also one of the world’s largest publishers of open educational resources (OER).

Microsoft Learning Zone promises to provide educators and students with “responsible AI technology and peer-reviewed educational content to support learning” on Microsoft Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft Learning Zone works by utilizing on-device AI to generate interactive lessons for students, and its integration with OpenStax content means educators can rely on OpenStax’s digital library of 80 openly licensed titles.

The goal is for educators to create effective and engaging learning experiences safely, thereby bypassing the need to source and vet content independently. Included is a library of ready-to-use lessons, opportunity for immediate feedback and differentiated learning. Educators will maintain control of instructional content and pedagogical strategies and will be able to update or edit lessons or activities prior to sharing them with students.

Other tools included in the Microsoft Learning Zone are additional languages, reading coaching, public speaking help, math and reading progress, and a partnership with the online quiz platform Kahoot!

OpenStax resources have been reported as used across 153 countries, and this current collaboration combines the power and potential of responsible AI usage in education with content that has been utilized by 13,569 K-12 schools and 71 percent of U.S. colleges and universities, according to Rice.

“Through our partnership with OpenStax, we’re combining the power of on-device AI in Copilot+ PCs with OpenStax’s trusted and diverse peer-reviewed content to help educators quickly create high-quality, personalized, engaging lessons,” Deirdre Quarnstrom, vice president of Microsoft Education, added in the news release. “We’re excited about how this collaboration will empower classrooms globally.”

Houston ranks among the 15 best cities in America for 2025

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A new national report ranking the best cities in America has declared Houston is the 13th best U.S. city in 2025.

The annual "America's Best Cities" report from Resonance Consultancy, a Canada-based real estate and tourism marketing firm, ranks the relative qualities of livability, cultural "lovability," and economic prosperity in America's principal cities with metropolitan populations of 500,000 or more.

These top 100 cities "brilliantly weave local culture with economic prospects, aligning with global and domestic travel trends to create premier experiences for both residents and travelers."

Houston's new placement is three spots lower than its triumphant No. 10 rank in 2024. Though it no longer holds a prized top-10 spot, the report hails Houston as a "coveted hometown for the best and brightest on earth."

Among Houston's other shining attributes are its booming population growth – which has now grown to a staggering 7.51 million people – plus its competitive real estate market and a vibrant hospitality and culinary scene. Additionally, Houston earned a well-deserved No. 4 rank in the report's "restaurants" subcategory.

"A 221-room Home2 Suites/Tru by Hilton debuted near Toyota Center in March, while Marriott’s newly renovated Residence Inn NASA/Clear Lake keeps surging visitors happy," the report said. "West Houston’s Greenside will convert 35,000 square feet of warehouses into a park-laced retail hub by 2026, while America’s inaugural Ismaili Center, rising along Allen Parkway, remains on schedule for later this year, adding yet another cultural jewel to H-Town’s festival-fueled mosaic."

The report additionally puts a large focus on Houston's innovative energy sector and its numerous large companies that boost the local economy and create thousands of jobs. Several of these Houston-based companies are some of the best places to work, according to U.S. News and World Report.

One such company that was specifically praised in the report was the HyVelocity Hub, which aims to "ensure economic resilience and long-lasting, domestic energy production" along the Gulf Coast.

"The HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub just locked in up to $1.2 billion from the U.S. DOE, targeting 45,000 jobs and slicing 7.7 million tons of CO₂ a year," the report said.

Elsewhere in Texas

Dallas (No. 14) and Austin (No. 15) ranked right behind Houston in the top 20, while San Antonio sank into the No. 41 spot after previously ranking 32nd last year. El Paso also fell from No. 83 in 2024 to No. 100 this year.

Jason McGrath, the executive vice president and head of U.S. Corporate Reputation at Ipsos, said in the report that American cities are proving their resiliency as they are faced with "climate issues, increasing infrastructural demands, and shifting geopolitical landscapes affecting international relations and travel."

"Despite these hurdles, cities are creatively reinventing themselves to shine as examples of cultural vibrancy and innovation, keeping their competitive edge both locally and globally," McGrath said. "Our report shows that the allure of American cities remains strong, thanks to their rich diversity and vast attractions — from natural wonders to buzzing cultural hubs."

The top 10 best cities in America in 2025 are:

  • No. 1 – New York City, New York
  • No. 2 – Los Angeles, California
  • No. 3 – Chicago, Illinois
  • No. 4 – San Francisco, California
  • No. 5 – Seattle, Washington
  • No. 6 – Miami, Florida
  • No. 7 – Boston, Massachusetts
  • No. 8 – Washington, D.C.
  • No. 9 – Las Vegas, Nevada
  • No. 10 – San Diego, California
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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

Houston biosciences company opens new sequencing center for drug development

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Houston-based Avance Biosciences has launched the Next-Generation Sequencing Center of Excellence, designed to enhance the company’s sequencing capabilities for drug development. Specifically, the facility at the company’s main campus in Northwest Houston will pursue breakthroughs in biologics, cell therapy and gene therapy.

In the drug industry, sequencing refers to studying nucleotides in DNA and RNA molecules. Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.

“This is a major milestone for Avance Biosciences as we continue to support the evolving needs of biologics and cell and gene therapy developers,” Xuening “James” Huang, co-founder, CEO and chief technology officer of Avance, said in a news release. “By consolidating state-of-the-art sequencing platforms and scientific talent, we’ve created a highly capable organization ready to solve complex genomic challenges with precision and compliance.”

In 2013, Avance rolled out next-generation sequencing (NGS) that complies with federal guidelines. Since then, Avance “has remained at the forefront of regulated sequencing services,” the company said. “The launch of the (new center) strengthens the company’s ability to deliver accurate, reproducible, and regulatory-aligned sequencing data across a wide array of therapeutic modalities.”

Cal Froberg, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Avance, said pharmaceutical and biotech clients trust the company’s technical capabilities and regulatory compliance.

“With the ever-changing global landscape and increasing scrutiny around international sample shipments, conducting advanced, cost-effective NGS testing domestically is now more feasible than ever,” Froberg said. “Our clients have confidence that their samples will remain in the U.S.”

Avance, founded in 2010, plans to hold an open house at the new facility in September to showcase its capabilities, technology, talent, and services. The company’s services include sequencing, molecular biology, cell-based testing, and bioanalytical testing.
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