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

civic support

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.

Some of the works will adorn the new Sunnyside Multi-Service and Health Center. Rendering courtesy of the City of Houston

City of Houston calls local and Texas artists for $3 million public project

call for artists

Houstonians love their public art, and the City of Houston is banking on that love and civic pride with a hefty new call to local artists. The Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) has announced new opportunities for artists and artist groups to have their artwork pegged for the City's Art Collection.

MOCA's call boasts more than $3 million in artist opportunities, in effort to help those affected by the economic downturn of COVID-19. The new series of projects will adorn Houston's airports and the new Sunnyside Multi-Service and Health Center. Some 100 opportunities open to Houston and Texas artists in the calls for qualifications, according to a press release.

These new works promise to have a large audience; nearly 60 million passengers passed through the Houston Airport System in 2019. The Houston Arts Alliance is managing the selection process. Selected artists must sign a contract with Houston Arts Alliance for the commission, according to MOCA. Funding for the project comes courtesy of the City of Houston Civic Art Program.

"This is a difficult time for all people, including artists – many of which are either self-employed or small business owners," Houston Airports curator of public art, Alton DuLaney, said in a statement. "It's unfortunate that many galleries are closed, and many artists are out of work. We hope this will be a lifeline for some of them. We are honored to be in a position to lift-up our Texas artists in this way while enriching Houston Airports' public art collection."

The pre-application workshops and submission deadlines for each opportunity are as follows:

Sunnyside Multi-Service and Health Center
RFQ submission deadline: Monday, July 27
Artist Info Session: Thursday, July 16

Houston Airports Portable Works
RF deadline: Monday, August 3
Artist Info Session #1: Saturday, July 11
Artist Info Session #2: Thursday, July 16

Houston Airports New Commissions
RFQ deadline: Monday, August 10
Artist Info Session #1: Saturday, July 11
Artist Info Session #2: Thursday, July 16

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10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for September

where to be

The energy transition and AI will be the talk of this town this month, thanks to a packed calendar of Houston events. September brings the return of Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week and some of its signature anchor events, plus AI conferences and talks exploring how the technology is impacting everything from healthcare to leadership. Here’s what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to add more events.


Sept. 3 — Entrepreneurship Roundtable with Open

Open Houston and the Ion present this roundtable event to bring together founders, builders, and innovators at various stages of venture development. This month's session will feature Faisal Bhutto, president and CEO of Houston-based AI and tech consulting firm Alykas.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 3, from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Ion. An optional lunch ticket is available for purchase. Register here.

Sept. 3 — AI Operator Spotlight: Houston’s Top AI Leaders Open Their Playbooks

The Houston AI Club, Allenix, the Ion District and Collide are bringing together industry leaders to share their expertise and first-hand experiences building AI companies. The event will feature a panel with Chuck Yates, co-founder of Collide, and Charles Jessup, senior manager of AI fluency at Raytheon, plus an open networking session.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 3, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 8 — The Technology Leadership Advantage Series – For CEOs, VCs and PE Firms

Ram Prasad, CEO of Houston-based IT consulting firm Delence, will explore the role of leadership in turning AI investments into business value during the latest installment of this series at the Ion. The event will explore why AI strategies often fail before the technology does and how companies should approach AI ownership, governance, investment and accountability.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 8, from noon-1 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 14–18 — Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week

Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week returns for its third year, with panels, happy hours and pitch days focused on the energy transition. See the schedule of events here. The week will begin with a kickoff block party and open house at the Ion.

This event starts Monday, Sept. 14. The Ion District will host many of the week's events. Find more information here.

Sept. 15 — Meet the Activate Houston Cohort 2026 Fellows

Meet Activate's latest cohort, which was named this summer, and learn more about their hardtech and climate-focused solutions. Also meet founders from the organization’s 2025 cohort during Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 5-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 15 – Cypher Pilotathon and Startup Showcase

Grab coffee and take in keynotes and panels featuring leaders from Amperon, Aramco Ventures, New Climate Ventures, Syzygy Plasmonics and many others during this signature event, this year under the theme “The NEW Energy Industrial Revolution.” After lunch, hear pitches from 31 ventures during the Pilotathon. This year's event will also feature a startup showcase with interactive booths where attendees can meet founders and see demonstrations, plus an industry hub where corporates and investors can engage with emerging technologies and identify the pilots they want to move forward with.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at POST Houston. Get tickets here.

Sept. 15-17 — The AI in Health Conference

Rice University's Ken Kennedy Institute will present this future-focused event, aimed at bridging the gap between artificial intelligence and real-world health outcomes. The event will feature panels with leaders from institutions and companies from around the world, plus technical talks, poster presentations and networking receptions.

This event begins Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 8 a.m. at the BRC at Rice University. Register here.

Sept. 16 — Greentown Labs Climatech Summit

Entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, policymakers and philanthropists will head to Houston this month for the annual Greentown Climatetech Summit. Hear from Greentown CEO Georgina Campbell Flatter and keynote speaker Tim Latimer, CEO and co-founder of Houston geothermal unicorn Fervo Energy, plus numerous other engaging panels at the Ion. Then head to Greentown Labs for an open house and startup showcase, where attendees can meet some of the climatech incubators' members, before taking in the startup pitch competition followed by happy hour over at the Continental Club.

This event is Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 8 a.m.–9 p.m. at multiple locations. Register here.

Sept. 18 — Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum

Hear from clean energy startups from around the world at the 23rd annual Energy Tech Venture Forum. In addition to the pitches, this event will also host keynotes from Sean Maher, chief economist at Phillips 66, and Ira Ehrenpreis, founder and managing partner of DBL Partner. Panels will focus on technologies, infrastructure and commercialization strategies needed to deploy breakthrough innovations at scale. Following the event, the Rice Alliance will also name its annual “Most Promising” startup.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 17, from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. Register here.

Sept. 23 – Houston Methodist Innovation Discussion

Houston Methodist presents its latest Innovation Discussion this month for the Houston health IT community. This month's event will feature Dr. Jordan Dale, chief medical information officer and chief health AI officer at Houston Methodist, and Ginny Torno, executive director of innovation and IT clinical, ancillary and research systems for Houston Methodist. The two will share insights into Houston Methodist’s innovation strategy and approach to scaling new ideas, plus real-world lessons on AI adoption and more.

This event is Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 23 — UH Energy Career Fair

Find your next job or team member at UH's energy-focused career fair. The event will feature companies from the fossil fuels, electrical power, nuclear power and renewables industries; plus nonprofits, governmental agencies and startups. And though the event is geared toward business, engineering, technology and science majors, it is open to students of all majors.

This event is Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the UH Student Center. Find more information here.

Sept. 30 — First Principles Tech Talk: From Orbit to the Lunar Surface

Head to the Ion for the first-ever First Principles Tech Talk. This event will feature short talks and moderated discussions geared toward founders, engineers and operators in the commercial space industry. The inaugural event will feature Megan Ortiz and Zach Paugh from Houston-based Axiom Space.

This event is Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 5-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Momentum is where Houston founders go to break $1 million — apply by Sept. 30

Inside EO

Houston loves a startup story. The harder story, the one that decides whether a company becomes an employer, a brand, and a fixture of the city, is what happens after the start. Most businesses that survive their early years still never cross $1 million in revenue. Fewer than 5 percent ever do. The rest get stuck in the messy middle, somewhere between $250,000 and $1 million, where the owner is still the salesperson, the product, and the back office all at once, and nothing runs without them.

Momentum, the accelerator run by EO Houston, exists for exactly that stage. It is a yearly accelerator for owners and co-founders between $250,000 and $1 million in revenue who are ready to push past seven figures, built around eight months of classes a year and a confidential monthly Forum. Members are invited to go through it for two years: the first pass to build the systems, the second to run them at a higher level, with a new lens and alongside a new cohort.

The next cohort launches in October, with applications open now at eohouston.com/momentum until September 30. Here is the case the chapter makes for joining, point by point.

A curriculum built by operators, not consultants

Momentum's curriculum was built by two operators. Al Danto, an EO Houston founding member who built and exited his own company, is now a Partner at Exit Advisors and a Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Rice University. He built the curriculum alongside Jacky Fischer, the owner of Houston's 3 Men Movers, who brought a working owner's eye, not an academic one, to how the program is structured. The material covers what actually decides whether a company scales: building systems, hiring and leading a team, and turning an annual vision into 90-day commitments with clear owners.

“Everything in this curriculum got tested inside a real company, either mine or one run by the people who shaped it. If a tool did not survive contact with a real business, it did not make the cut," Danto says.

Momentum is an independent program of EO Houston and requires no university affiliation; faculty and alumni participate as instructors and coaches in their individual capacities. What carries over is the standard: real experience over theory.

EO Houston Momentum classroom A Momentum class in session. Photo courtesy of EO Houston

Entrepreneurs teaching entrepreneurs since 1987

Momentum works because of what sits behind it. The Entrepreneurs' Organization was founded in 1987 on a simple idea: business owners grow fastest alongside peers who have already been where they are going. Today, EO is a global, peer-to-peer network spanning 200+ chapters in over 80 countries, and it runs on a practice called Forum, a small, confidential group of six to 10 fellow owners who meet monthly. Forum members do not give advice. They share experience: what actually happened when they faced the same hire, the same cash crunch, the same decision. Ask EO members anywhere in the world and most will call Forum the single most valuable thing they belong to. Every Momentum member sits in one.

Built for scaling small businesses, not launching startups

Houston's accelerator landscape mostly serves the very early stage: the idea, the pitch deck, the startup swinging for a billion-dollar outcome. Momentum sits in the gap those programs leave behind. It is built for regular companies that are already real, with revenue, payroll, and customers, and an owner who needs help scaling what works into a business that matures. That focus is the point: EO Houston is the place a small business goes to get help growing.

The price is different too. Accelerators usually charge in ownership, a stake in the company in exchange for the program. Momentum takes none. EO Houston is a nonprofit, and the program runs on dues of $3,500 for the year. The outcome the chapter is after is simple: more Houston businesses crossing $1 million, still fully owned by the people who built them.

An on-ramp into Houston's most established founder community

EO Houston counts more than 200 member businesses, every one run by an owner who has already scaled past $1 million, with 75+ chapter events a year. Momentum members plug into that community from day one: the classes, their own Forum, the annual gala, the retreats, the socials. Two years around people who have already done the thing you are trying to do changes what you believe is normal. And when a Momentum member crosses $1 million, the on-ramp becomes a doorway: graduates step into EO Houston membership itself and the global network behind it. The program's full story and curriculum live at eomomentum.com.

Avneesh Oberoi, founder of Oberoi Investments and The DoughCone, walked that path, finishing the program and joining EO Houston in July 2026.

“I truly can say that the experience for the last two years has been life-changing and so memorable… I am also so filled with gratitude to have met so many people open to sharing their experiences and time. It’s made such a difference in how I think, operate, and spend my time and resources," Oberoi says. "I joined with the goal of taking my business I started personally, The DoughCone, and figuring out how to optimize the business and maximize revenue, while navigating a board seat and ownership in a much larger family business on its third generation of ownership… and EO has given me so many tools and experience shares and perspectives I’ve been able to take to both businesses. The growth has been unreal.”

The door swings both ways. EO Houston is opening Momentum to its own members too, owners whose companies average $3 million to $5 million in sales, because the chapter believes the same curriculum and Forum that carry a founder to $1 million keep working well past it.

Sarah Seitz shows how the pieces connect. A former teacher, she founded The Enrichery, a Houston education company offering academic coaching, test prep, and college counseling that has grown to locations across the city. She completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, then joined EO Houston to keep growing. This year, a year after joining, The Enrichery made the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies. She coached Momentum through its first year, and has since moved from coaching into leadership, helping shape the program's growth from its board.

For owners finishing a program like 10,000 Small Businesses who are not yet at $1 million, Momentum is where the coaching and community continue until they qualify for EO.

Apply by September 30

Momentum's next cohort begins in October 2026, and applications close September 30. The program is for owners and co-founders of Houston businesses doing more than $250,000 a year who are ready to build past $1 million, and now for EO Houston members ready to keep growing. The full curriculum, dues, dates, and FAQ are on the application page. Apply by September 30 at eohouston.com/momentum.

Fewer than 5 percent of businesses make it past $1 million, and there is nothing inevitable about which 5 percent. Houston has the founders. Momentum exists to give them the systems and the peers.

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EO Houston is the Houston chapter of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, a global peer-to-peer network of business owners founded in 1987, with more than 200 member businesses and 75+ chapter events a year. Momentum is an independent program of EO Houston. Rice University faculty and alumni participate as instructors and coaches in their individual capacities.

Tesla proposes Houston-area solar plant & more top innovation headlines

Trending news

Editor's note: August proved to be a big month for innovation news in Houston, with big plans revealed by Tesla, the expansion of Apple's Houston footprint, and an update on the MD Anderson-anchored medical center planned for Austin. Below are the five most-read InnovationMap headlines published during the second half of August 2026:

Telsa targets Houston area for new $10 billion manufacturing plant

Electric vehicle and clean energy company Tesla is considering building a new $10.1 billion solar cell manufacturing facility in Fort Bend County, according to documents filed with the Texas Comptroller’s Office. If approved, the plant, called Project Sun City, would be located on a 3,050-acre site off FM 762 and FM 1994 in Richmond, Texas. Tesla aims to finish construction in 2028, with the plant being operational by early 2029. Continue reading.

$5B MD Anderson-anchored Austin medical center to break ground this fall

Construction on the $1 billion first phase of the AI-native University of Texas Dell Medical Center in Austin—which will feature a hospital operated by Houston’s UT MD Anderson Cancer Center—is set to start this fall. The UT System Board of Regents approved funding for first-phase construction on August 12. The medical center—now expected to cost $5 billion, up from the initial $2.9 billion estimate—will span about 2.5 million square feet. It will include 300 to 500 patient beds, outpatient facilities, an emergency department and specialized care for cancer patients. Continue reading.

Tech giant Apple opens Advanced Manufacturing Center at massive Houston facility

Cupertino, California-based Apple Inc. unveiled its Advanced Manufacturing Center in the Houston, marking the completion of the second of three facilities the tech giant plans to launch in the city by the end of this year. The 20,000-square-foot training center will welcome small- and medium-sized businesses for free training and educational sessions to "help accelerate smart manufacturing across America," according to Apple. Apple opened a similar Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit last year. Continue reading.

Intuitive Machines lands $600M satellite deal, NASA ‘spacecraft bus’ contract

Houston-based space infrastructure company Intuitive Machines has scored two astronomical deals. The deals add to the company’s soaring success. As of June 30, Intuitive Machines had a record-high $1.8 billion backlog of orders, a $1.5 billion increase from the end of last year. The current backlog includes orders for more than 80 spacecraft. The company, which went public in 2023, expects this year’s revenue to total $900 million to $1 billion. In the first half of 2026, Intuitive Machines generated nearly $393 million in revenue. Intuitive Machines estimates its total available market is valued at more than $150 billion. Continue reading.

Fast-growing Houston real estate startup surges to No. 7 on Inc. 5000

Houston-based Epique Realty has ridden the AI wave to rank among the Inc. 5000’s 10 fastest-growing private companies. With three-year revenue growth of 23,210 percent, the AI-powered real estate brokerage appears at No. 7 on this year’s Inc. 5000 list. Epique, founded in 2021, also ranks as the No. 1 fastest-growing company in Houston, No. 1 fastest-growing real estate company in the U.S., and No. 2 fastest-growing company in Texas. Continue reading.

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