Arts, culture, museum, and community events across Houston.
Upcoming events
Fashion Fusion X: Inspired by Frida Kahlo
Houston Public Library – Central (Jesse H. Jones) · 500 McKinney, Houston, TX 77002
Fashion Fusion X: Inspired by Frida Kahlo features garments from the tenth anniversary of Fashion Fusion, an annual competition and runway show presented by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), and the award-winning Fashion Design program at Houston City College (HCC). This year, HCC students and alumni designed original outfits inspired by the MFAH’s recent exhibition, Frida: The Making of an Icon, which was devoted to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s life and legacy. The garments created by HCC’s emerging designers were entered into one of four representative categories: Regenerate, Reimagine, Reengineer, or Reveal. This community tour showcases the winning outfits from the competition. Student Winners Reimagine: Darrion Nguyen – Blossoms in Maroon Regenerate: Remi Erinle – Beauty Around the World Reengineer: Tanya Roche – Hummingbird Alumni Winners Reimagine: Tatyana Miller – El Cantor Regenerate: Ebonie Sophus – The Blooming Confluence Reengineer: Kim Lai – Appearances Reveal: Estefania Espindola – Resiliences Audience Choice Winner Estefania Espindola – Proudly Tehuano
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church · 5501 Main Street, Houston, TX 77004
Gordon Education is excited to announce its 2026 Summer Film Camps, offering four immersive programs for young creatives aged 9 to 17. Each filmmaking camp focuses on a different genre: Historical, Changemakers, Documentary, and Narrative Fiction, allowing aspiring filmmakers to explore the art of cinema from multiple perspectives while developing their own voice. Narrative Fiction Filmmaking Camp | Ages 9 – 13 | 9 am – 3 pm July 13-17 at St. Paul’s School Young storytellers unleash their wildest creative visions in this story-driven filmmaking camp. Whether their movie is set in outer space or under the sea, campers have full artistic license to bring their unique ideas to the screen. Together, they will write, film, direct, and act in an original production, using the “Hero’s Journey” as a roadmap to learn the essentials of storytelling. Camp Leaders for the Time-Traveling Historical Camp are Dan Gordon and Bri Guerrero. Dan Gordon leads the Changemakers and Documentary Camps, and Bri Guerrero leads the Narrative Fiction Camp. Space is limited, and scholarships are available.
Houston Museum of Natural Science · 5555 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030
Extreme Animals Alive gives visitors a close up look at a variety of impressive familiar and unknown critters. This special exhibition considers the one-of-a-kind characteristics which give animals exceptional advantages from super speed to super stealth. Discover animals with “superpowers” which grant them the abilities to shape-shift, glow, or even control the minds of other animals! Investigate the physical, behavioral, and structural adaptations that allow animals to survive in their unique environments. There are opportunities to interact with live animals on a daily basis!
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WiVLA) is proud to present “WIld”, a collaboration exhibitions between writer and artists of WiVLA. The show will open Thursday August 6th thru September 12th, with a public reception August 7th at Sabine Street Sudios in Houston, Texas, with the writers reading their work that goes with the artwork on display. WILD, speaks to what is untamed, instinctive, and uncontained. It is a space beyond rules and refinement—where emotion, intuition, and raw experience lead. WILD can appear as nature, inner landscapes, memory, rebellion, or transformation. It invites artists to explore freedom, intensity, and the beauty found in disorder, risk, and vulnerability. expressed through painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and more.
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Teal—a striking blend of blue’s tranquility and green’s vitality—serves as both inspiration and vessel for this diverse collection of artworks that speak to transformation in its myriad forms. In the luminous heart of summer, Sabine Street Studios presents Transformative Teal, a bold and immersive exploration of change, fluidity, and renewal through the prism of a singular hue. Teal—a striking blend of blue’s tranquility and green’s vitality—serves as both inspiration and vessel for this diverse collection of works that speak to transformation in its myriad forms. Curated to challenge and enchant, Transformative Teal brings together an eclectic group of artists whose practices span painting, sculpture, photography, performance and digital media. Each piece embodies the dynamic tension and harmony inherent in transformation: the push and pull between past and future, the personal and collective, the seen and unseen. This exhibition invites viewers to immerse themselves in moments of metamorphosis—whether subtle or striking—within both the artworks and within themselves. The varying shades of teal ripple across the gallery space, echoing waves of change that touch every aspect of existence. From intimate narratives of identity and healing to expansive meditations on nature and society, the works showcased reveal how transformation is at once an external phenomenon and an internal journey. Step inside, and let teal’s transformative energy wash over you—inviting reflection, renewal, and revelation. Join us on August 6, from 6-8pm, for a mesmerizing opening reception featuring Sabine artist Amanda Silva’s “Transformative” performance as she sheds her skin like a snake. Enjoy live music by Aurum Son, led by Sonia Flores, along with drinks and snacks. As always, the reception is free and open to the public Featured Artists: Ksenia Kozhenkova, Kelly Best Bourgeois, Sara Meyer, Sarah Rolfvondenbaumen, Sheetal Dalwadi-Otia, Donna Carnahan, T. D. Paul Studio, Xavier Nguyen, Steve J. Smith, Pothik Chatterjee, Giselle Bueno, Shital Dalwadi, Toto, Romeo C. Robinson, Ana Sanchez, Anjali Nanda, Audrey Nguyen, Sneha Bhavsar, Roxy Wuz Here Art, Amanda T. Silva, Eric Coan, Justin Earl Grant, XZZX Image: Eric Coan, A Sanctuary of Silence
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Tattoo artist and curator Julian Solis, presents a unique showcase of works made by local Houston tattoo artists in a variety of media. Tattooing has long been accepted as a folk art. This exhibition asks viewers to consider tattoo art and work created by tattooers as fine art. Displayed in a traditional gallery setting, works in oil, graphite, ink, and more assert themselves as totally belonging, yet with a perspective unique to artists who work on the human body. In this showcase you’ll find traditional flash paintings alongside portraits in oils – both displaying the relationship tattooers have between their personal art practices and art made for clients. Leave this exhibit with a fresh take on how tattoo artists see the world – and how tattoo art is more than skin deep. The exhibition is on view through October 10 in the East Corridor Gallery at Sabine Street Studios. Gallery hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. About the curator: Julian Solis is a nonbinary tattoo artist living and working in Houston, Texas. A lifelong painter, Julian began tattooing in 2022. In both their paintings and tattoos, you can see a love of vibrant color and playful energy. Nostalgic or comforting imagery features heavily in all areas of their creative practice. They currently work out of Sabine Street Studios #165. Julian has been named “Best Tattoo Artist” in Outsmart Magazine’s “Gayest & Greatest” Reader’s choice awards in 2023 and 2025.
“The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure” at The Health Museum
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
An innovative new science exhibition on cancer is coming to Houston and will explore groundbreaking research, advanced medical technologies and promising new therapies. The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure will make its national premiere at The Health Museum on March 7, 2026, and be available until September 13, 2026. Designed for both adults and children, “The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure,” is a 5,000-square-foot exhibition full of multimedia experiences, thought-provoking science interactives, dynamic animations, stunning data visualizations and inspiring first-person videos to engage and empower visitors. The exhibition is presented by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the world’s most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. It was produced in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. “Cancer affects us all, whether personally or through someone we love. But there has never been a moment like this in cancer care and research,” said Peter W.T. Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “Breakthroughs are happening at an unprecedented pace, unlocking a new understanding of the disease and powerful new therapies that will transform outcomes, both for patients and those who want to reduce their risk. This exhibition provides an incredible opportunity to educate, engage and empower people of all ages as we work together to end cancer.” The exhibition includes a chance to become a cancer detective, using cutting-edge tools to detect cancer in different parts of the body. Visitors also can play an engaging, interactive game that reveals how seemingly simple, everyday choices can help reduce cancer risk. In other interactive experiences, visitors can supercharge the superheroes of the immune system to stop rogue cancer cells. Exhibit-goers also can enter an immersive media experience to view a microscopic universe inside their bodies and explore ideas for future cancer detection, from liquid biopsies to cancer-sniffing dogs. Throughout the experience, visitors will hear stories from survivors and clinicians who reveal the personal challenges they go through each day, providing a unique window into the emotional realities of facing cancer. If visitors need a moment of calm, they can visit a soothing sound and light experience that spotlights the role of therapies like meditation and yoga in cancer care. John Arcidiacono, President and CEO of The Health Museum, added: “These ‘aha’ moments of discovery ignite curiosity and inspire hope, empowering and educating people of all ages. The exhibition threads the needle carefully, dispelling myths and increasing understanding, while acknowledging the emotional impact cancer has on people’s lives, including my own.” The Health Museum is also planning activities and events to further educate audiences about cancer breakthroughs and how to reduce risk throughout the exhibition tour. H-E-B is generously sponsoring the exhibition at The Health Museum. “The Journey to End Cancer” is touring science museums across the U.S. for approximately the next five years. For more information, please visit: https://thehealthmuseum.org.
The Health Museum’s The Fatherhood Effect Healing Arts Exhibition
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
The Health Museum, an interactive health science museum located in the heart of the Houston Museum District, will debut their newest exhibition The Fatherhood Effect as part of the Healing Arts Program at a preview party on Friday, August 14, 2026, from 6-8 p.m. Six awards will be presented during the reception at 7 p.m. The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and will remain on display at The Health Museum until January 27, 2027. Through an open call for art, The Health Museum received powerful submissions of visual art that positioned fatherhood as a public health approach to healthier living. By elevating local stories and lived experiences, the exhibition invited reflection on how fatherhood has evolved over the past three decades—and how meaningful, engaged fatherhood contributes to healthier children, stronger families, and more connected communities. Through the arts and public health perspective, The Fatherhood Effect highlights fathers as present, nurturing, and deeply involved in caregiving. The exhibition challenges outdated stereotypes that define fathers solely as providers, and instead emphasizes care, emotional connection, and shared responsibility as essential elements of fatherhood. The artwork selection was juried by community leaders and fathers including Houston City Council Member District I Joaquin Martinez, Director of Harris County Boards and Commissions Daniel Santamaria, Director of Community Engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association Jorge Olvera, Founder and CEO of The Color of Coffee Collective Keith Hawkins, and Founder and Director of CoolxDad Kevin Barnett. Tickets for the exhibit preview reception on August 14, 2026, are available at 3586.blackbaudhosting.com/3586/Fatherhood-Effect-Preview-Reception and are $10 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. All tickets include live music, light bites, beverages, and free parking in the Museum’s surface lot. Doors open at 6pm and the awards will be announced at 7pm. The Healing Arts Program was launched in 2024 with a gallery opening for “Healing Hands: A Collection of Caregiver Expressions on Mental Wellness” and was created to explore the intersections of art, medicine, and culture, and provide the community with an outlet for processing experiences relating to physical and mental health. Through workshops, exhibitions, and community engagement, the program has increased the museum’s capacity for connection and healing in the Houston community. The Healing Arts Program focuses on connection, creativity, critical thinking, and compassionate dialogue, through a lens that healthier communities can be built through collaboration between individuals, educators, artists, and healthcare professionals.
Pedalisa Art Houston Sugarland Studio · 2309 Williams Trace Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77478
Discover the colorful art of Turkish mosaic lamp making at Pedalisa Art’s Sugar Land studio in the Houston area! During this fun, beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll choose your colors and patterns, then decorate your own lamp with vibrant glass tiles and beads. Our friendly instructors will guide you step by step, so no previous art experience is needed. Your workshop includes: • All mosaic materials and tools • Step-by-step guidance • Your selected lamp to create and take home • Turkish tea, baklava, and Turkish delight • Approximately 2–2.5 hours of creative fun After the workshop, you’ll take your handmade lamp home and receive simple instructions for completing the final grouting step. This unique Houston-area experience is perfect for date nights, birthdays, family outings, girls’ nights, team-building events, and anyone looking for a memorable creative activity. Ages 7 and up. Advance booking is recommended, as seating is limited. Come relax, get creative, and leave with a beautiful Turkish mosaic lamp made by you. Reserve your seat today!
Time to Get Ready: Fotografía Social | Civil Rights Photography of Maria Varela
The African American Library at the Gregory School · 1300 Victor St., Houston, TX 77019
Inspired by social justice activism in her south side Chicago Catholic high school, Maria Varela (b. 1940) accepted an invitation in 1963 to join the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a civil rights organization working in the U.S. south. She helped develop a voter literacy program and by 1965 was the only female staff photographer for SNCC. In 1968 the experienced civil rights activist accepted an invitation from Reies Lopez Tijerina to join the Land Grant Movement in New Mexico. When members of the movement requested help in restoring ancestral lands and cultural practices, she supported them in establishing co-ops and non-for-profits to help improve their lives. “The images in this exhibition reflect the evolution of resistance movements over nearly three decades, from demonstrations to political organizing to establishing alternative institutions, which would model what we would do ‘if we were in charge.’” — Maria Varela About the Photographer Maria Varela (American, b. 1940) was a staff member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963-1967 working primarily in Alabama and Mississippi. Varela created filmstrips and photo books utilized by SNCC and local community organizers for various organizing campaigns. As a SNCC staffer, she also photographed marches, as the presence of cameras often protected marchers from violence. In 1968, she moved to New Mexico at the invitation of leaders of the Hispano land rights movements. She also continued her photography documenting the 1968 Poor People Campaign, the first Chicano Youth Conference, the 1960s and 1970s Chicago movement, and the lifestyles of Nuevo Mexicano villages. For 40 years Maria organized rural communities in New Mexico and the Southwest to create culturally sustainable economic enterprises to help reduce poverty and loss of ancestral lands. In 1990, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for this work. For the last six decades, Maria’s work has been featured in books, magazines, TV media, and photo exhibitions. Her photographs can be found in the collections of the National Museum of African American Art, National Museum of Mexican Art, and the National Gallery of Art. This exhibition was organized by the National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, IL. Sponsored by Chicago Park District, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Exhibit: Spanish Texas During the American Revolution
The Heritage Society · 1100 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002
Spanish Texas During the American Revolution: Life and Legacy, 1775–1783 Opens at The Heritage Society HOUSTON — The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park opens its newest America250 exhibition today: Spanish Texas During the American Revolution: Life and Legacy, 1775–1783, a traveling exhibition that reframes the American Revolution through the experiences of Tejanos and Spanish settlers. The exhibit is produced by the Mexican American Museum of Texas in partnership with Dr. Tim Seiter, professor, historian, and author. Covering the years 1775 to 1783, the exhibition highlights Spanish Texas communities stretching from the Sabine to the Nueces Rivers, including San Antonio, La Bahía, Los Adaes and Nacogdoches. Organizers say the goal is to broaden public understanding of the Revolution as a continental conflict shaped by diverse communities far beyond the thirteen colonies. The Heritage Society will host an official Grand Opening Reception on September 16, launching Hispanic Heritage Month that is open to the public. Beginning in September, the museum will also present a Lunch & Learn speaker series every third Thursday of the month, featuring scholars who will explore daily life in Spanish Texas — from foodways and medicine to courtship, leisure, frontier justice and the region’s relationships with Native nations. Additional talks will examine Tejano support for Spanish military campaigns, including the donativos — donations made by residents to aid Spanish Colonel Bernardo de Gálvez’s efforts against the British. Research shows Spanish Texans contributed nearly 1,700 pesos, equivalent to about 340 head of cattle. To expand community access, The Heritage Society will host free family museum days tied to major cultural celebrations: Following Fiestas Patrias Parade on Saturday, September 19 During the Día de los Muertos parade and festival on Saturday, November 7.
Home Sweet Home: Greater Houston Subdivisions and Neighborhoods
Julia Ideson Building · 550 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77002
In 1836, brothers Augustus Chapman and John Kirby Allen founded the town of Houston at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou. Shortly after, they advertised the area in the Telegraph and Texas Register as “handsome and beautifully elevated,” where settlers could enjoy “the sea breeze in all its freshness.” The Allen Brothers’ descriptions may have been misleading, bu they were effective for attracting settlers and immigrants with the promise of a fresh start, cheap land, and economic opportunities. Houston has steadily grown from a fledgling town in the Republic of Texas into the fourth-largest metropolis in the United States. Home Sweet Home explores the creation of a selection of Greater Houston subdivisions, neighborhoods, and cities by featuring historical maps, brochures, postcards, and photographs.
The Menil Collection · 1533 Sul Ross Street, Houston, TX 77006
The Menil Collection presents “John Akomfrah: The Hour Of The Dog”, an immersive, six-channel video and sound installation by the Ghanaian-born British artist Sir John Akomfrah (b. 1957). The work, co-commissioned by the Menil and the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), explores the history of youth-led Civil Rights–era activism in the American South from 1954 to 1963. The 51-minute work is best experienced in its entirety, and will be on view at the Menil through October 11, 2026.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION: The Pernstein Women and Europe
Czech Cultural Center Houston (Czech Center Museum Houston) · 4920 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77004
The Pernstein Women and Europe explores how noblewomen of the Pernstein family shaped the cultural identity of Early Modern Europe. Through richly detailed panels, historical narratives, and period imagery, the exhibition highlights the last generation of this influential Czech aristocratic family and their far‑reaching connections across the continent. Drawing on research by historian Pavel Marek and developed by the East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice, the exhibition reveals how these women served as cultural intermediaries—linking the Czech lands with Italy, the Pyrenees, and other European regions. Their lives illuminate the movement of ideas, fashion, foodways, and artistic traditions that helped shape Europe’s emerging cultural identity. Presented as a traveling panel exhibition, The Pernstein Women and Europe commemorates 500 years of the Renaissance in Bohemia and offers visitors a vivid look at the role of noblewomen in the formation of Europe’s shared cultural heritage. This exhibition was created by the East Bohemia Museum in Pardubice in collaboration with the University of Pardubice.
The Menil Drawing Institute · 1412 W. Main St., Houston, TX 77006
This exhibition highlights paper itself—and its incongruous and variable characteristics—as an artistic material. Included are works that present a range of processes, as well as paper sculptures and found papers that imbue a finished work with an additional sense of history and place.
The Menil Drawing Institute · 1412 W. Main St., Houston, TX 77006
The Menil Collection has commissioned artist Jitish Kallat to create a site-specific wall drawing for the entry space of the Menil Drawing Institute. Born in Mumbai, where he continues to live and work, Kallat is a leading figure in contemporary Indian art. His work often probes the intersections of the intimate and the immense, weaving together references to history, science, philosophy, and the cosmic scale of time.
Asia Society Texas Center · 1370 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX 77004
Nevine Mahmoud unearths uncanny worlds from stone: jumbo-sized fruits drip with glass, a contorted marble faun arcs like an acrobat, and children’s toys are immortalized in white alabaster. Mahmoud’s works are placed throughout Asia Society Texas’ public spaces, engaging in a material dialogue with the building and manipulating one’s understanding of nature.
Maria Gaspar: We Press Our Hands to the Steel Curtain
Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston · 4173 Elgin St The University of Houston, Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77004
We Press Our Hands to the Steel Curtain brings together recent work that demonstrates how Gaspar engages with these carceral spaces, deploying time both as a tactic and material. The title is adapted from a line in Gloria Anzaldúa’s poem and essay “The Homeland, Aztlán/El otro México.” In dialogue with Anzaldúa’s writing, Gaspar sees walls as structures which shape psychic, social, and cultural terrains. Pressing hands might evoke healing or resistance: in either case, the gesture is dynamic and temporal.
Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston · 4173 Elgin St The University of Houston, Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77004
The Blaffer Museum at the University of Houston, in collaboration with the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College (FAC), is honored to present Adriana Corral: As Long as Life Endures. In new bodies of work, Corral studies the relationship between protection and vulnerability, between resilience and change. Continuing her ongoing exploration of human rights, Corral argues that such fundamental rights are only inscribed into cultural practice in the aftermath of violence and devastation. That tension–between crisis and redemption–underscores the ways in which such rights are not promised or permanent, but always in need of expansion and defense. At the heart of Corral’s project is an investigation of the forces that shape how life—and whose life—is valued. Religion, law, and civic infrastructure each aspire to provide protection, yet their histories reveal persistent failures and exclusions.
The Road to 40–A Retrospective of the Community Artists’ Collective
Community Artists’ Collective · 4111 Fannin St Suite 100, Houston, TX 77004
The Community Artists’ Collective will introduce its year-long 40th anniversary celebration to the public with “The Road to 40—A Retrospective of the Community Artists’ Collective.” The exhibition opens August 28 at 6 p.m. at The Collective, 4111 Fannin, Suite 100A. Curator Viktor Le Ewing-Givens notes that this retrospective exhibition honors the enduring legacy of the organization as a vital sanctuary for creative exchange and heritage preservation. Describing the exhibition which chronicles 40 years of art, impact and dedication, he continues, “through archival imagery, mixed media, fiber arts and immersive installation, we revisit the Collective’s meaningful impact and dynamic presence in the Houston cultural landscape. Ultimately, the space serves as a living sanctuary reflecting the invisible labor and sustained devotion of the intergenerational network of founders, local practitioners, and everyday culture-keepers who have continuously nurtured this ecosystem.” The exhibition opens the celebration of its milestone 40th anniversary leading up to FolkFest, a daylong event on February 27, 2027, which will take place on the Ion red lot city block (bounded by San Jacinto and Fannin and Cleburne and Wheeler) and will feature entertainment, food and art vendors and a visual history of The Collective’s years of activities. The exhibition, which continues through October 30, highlights The Collective’s four decades and addresses the future of the organization’s footprint. Visitors will learn when and why the organization was established and its impact on Houston’s art community and Black women artists in particular, its dedication to arts education for adults and youth and why the preservation of the cultural heritage of Houston’s Black community is important. In addition, the exhibit shows the impressive impact that The Collective has made on the economy of Houston neighborhoods and local artists, generating capital back to creators. Finally, this retrospective addresses the future sustainability of Black cultural institutions and how it will impact the next 40 years and those beyond. Admission to the exhibition is free. The Collective is open Thursday through Saturday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. Call 7113-523-1616 or visit www.thecollective.org. # # #
5601 B Navigation Blvd · 5601 B Navigation Blvd, Houston, 77011
NuestroWorld, created by Brooklyn-based artist Jesus Benavente, is an immersive, satirical exhibition that reimagines Houston as an amusement park. Beginning inside a visitor center filled with large-scale installations, neon sculptures, sound, banners, and limited-edition merchandise, the experience extends beyond the gallery through a free foldout guide featuring 13 destinations across Houston. Drawing on local history, folklore, and pop culture — from Astroworld and the Astrodome to Selena and the Battle of San Jacinto — NuestroWorld invites visitors to experience the city through a new lens, blending humor, nostalgia, and critical reflection into an interactive journey that evolves across the city. Opening Reception: August 13, 6 – 8 PM Gallery Hours: August 14 – September 12, Thu – Sat, 12 – 6 PM Closing Party: Sept 11, 6 – 8 PM For more information, visit: https://diverseworks.org/event/jesus-benavente-nuestroworld
Movement, Relationship, and Conscious Aging | Lunch and Learn (Online)
Online/Virtual Space · Houston, TX
Explore movement as more than exercise, discovering how mindful physical practice can cultivate resilience, deepen connection, and enrich the experience of aging through awareness, creativity, and relationship. Over the course of a lifetime, movement shapes far more than physical capacity. It influences how we adapt to change, relate to others, and remain engaged with the world as our bodies and lives evolve. In this Lunch & Learn, Lance Westendarp, ND, LAc explores movement as an ongoing process of awareness and relationship. Physical capacities such as balance, coordination, rhythm, and strength are approached not as isolated exercises, but as living skills shaped through attention, connection, and shared experience. From 12-1pm, you will explore different types of movement A discussion will take place afterwards from 1-2pm. The talk invites reflection on how physical practice can remain engaging, relevant, and alive across a wide range of abilities. This event is offered Online only. Recordings will be distributed to registered participants
Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University · 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005
This season, the Moody Center for the Arts Tent Series returns with three new artworks that engage with cultural memory, technology, and what we owe to those who will inherit what we leave behind. Invited to create large-scale murals, sited on the PCF Tents in the heart of campus, local artists Keliy Anderson-Staley, Preston Gaines, and Dario Robleto offer visual invitations to consider archives as a living, generative material rather than a fixed record. Join us on September 10, 6 – 8 pm to hear from the artists and celebrate the new installation. Keliy Anderson-Staley Wilderness no longer at the edge of things, 2026 Printed vinyl, HD video with sound, 25:04 minutes Commissioned by Moody Center for the Arts, Rice University, with additional funding to the artist from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. Keliy Anderson-Staley’s “Wilderness no longer at the edge of things” emerges from an expansive archive centered on the rustic homestead in Maine where she and her siblings were raised off the grid. Accumulated from letters, drawings, and other ephemera created by her father, alongside photographs Anderson-Staley made across decades, the archive chronicles the family, the wooded landscape they inhabited, and their experience of rural life. Rather than preserving it as a historical record, the artist approaches this archive as generative material—scanning and rephotographing images, printing over original documents, and incorporating elements into entirely new works. Through these interventions, the archive becomes a layered record in which inherited, self-authored, and reworked forms coexist as Anderson-Staley revisits and reframes the family histories it contains. For the Tents Series, Anderson-Staley extends this body of work into a two-part installation. During daylight hours, the tent façade presents a large-scale collage of scans of the archive, including notes written by the artist’s father and a hand-drawn map of the Maine property, nearby landmarks, and the stream the family crossed to reach the cabin at its center. After sunset, the tent becomes a screen for a projected video in which the artist animates the archive across a loose chronology, moving from the construction of the family cabin in the late 1970s through the decades of life that unfolded around it, before culminating in the burning of the structure by new owners in 2019. About the Artist Keliy Anderson-Staley (b. 1977, Boston, MA) is a Houston-based photographer whose work explores portraiture, material histories, and photographic processes. Her work has been exhibited widely at institutions including the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC; The Bronx Museum of the Arts, NY; and Akron Art Museum, OH; and her works are held in the public collections of the Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; and the Portland Art Museum, Portland, ME, among others. In 2022, Anderson-Staley was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship, and in 2019, she completed a major public art commission for Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. She holds a BA from Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, and an MFA from Hunter College, New York, and is Professor of Photography/Video at the University of Houston School of Art.
A Journey Through C.G. Jung’s Red Book: A Reading Group (Online)
Online/Virtual Space · Houston, TX
Explore C.G. Jung’s Liber Novus (The Red Book) through guided reading and discussion, reflecting on its images, archetypes, and the development of analytical psychology while discovering how Jung’s practice of Active Imagination continues to illuminate the unconscious. Join Jungian analyst Michael Escamilla in this continued exploration of C.G. Jung’s book, Liber Novus. Known as the “Red Book,” the Liber Novus was Jung’s own in-depth immersion into his unconscious. Using a technique we now call Active Imagination, Jung undertook dialogues with inner figures, and created artistic renderings of these experiences. Although this is a continuation of previous courses on the Red Book, new students are welcome. Dr. Escamilla will facilitate this reading group, where we will read sequential sections from the text and discuss the work as it applies to the development of key aspects of analytical psychology in Jung’s own process, as well as providing a space to reflect on the images and archetypes encountered in the work. This course will be recorded. Recordings will be distributed to registered participants. Potentially appropriate for 12CEs
The Menil Drawing Institute · 1412 W. Main St., Houston, TX 77006
Artist Jitish Kallat discusses his site-specific wall drawing project with Edouard Kopp, John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation Chief Curator, Menil Drawing Institute, sharing insights into the work’s concept, technology, and connections to the Cold War and Project A119. A public reception will follow.
Houston Public Library – Central (Jesse H. Jones) · 500 McKinney, Houston, TX 77002
Fashion Fusion X: Inspired by Frida Kahlo features garments from the tenth anniversary of Fashion Fusion, an annual competition and runway show presented by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), and the award-winning Fashion Design program at Houston City College (HCC). This year, HCC students and alumni designed original outfits inspired by the MFAH’s recent exhibition, Frida: The Making of an Icon, which was devoted to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s life and legacy. The garments created by HCC’s emerging designers were entered into one of four representative categories: Regenerate, Reimagine, Reengineer, or Reveal. This community tour showcases the winning outfits from the competition. Student Winners Reimagine: Darrion Nguyen – Blossoms in Maroon Regenerate: Remi Erinle – Beauty Around the World Reengineer: Tanya Roche – Hummingbird Alumni Winners Reimagine: Tatyana Miller – El Cantor Regenerate: Ebonie Sophus – The Blooming Confluence Reengineer: Kim Lai – Appearances Reveal: Estefania Espindola – Resiliences Audience Choice Winner Estefania Espindola – Proudly Tehuano
Hobby Center for the Performing Arts · 800 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002
Grammy and Tony Award nominee Orfeh brings powerhouse vocals, sharp storytelling, and unmistakable style to the Founders Club for an evening that blends music, personality, and a few surprises along the way. Joined by Houston native and Rice University alumnus Steven Jamail, Orfeh moves across genres with ease, pairing songs audiences love with stories from her life and career, including a few nods to Texas legends. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Tony and Grammy Award nominee Orfeh most recently starred as Tess in Burlesque the Musical in London’s West End, and as Kit De Luca in Pretty Woman the Musical on Broadway. Other favorite Broadway credits include Paulette in Legally Blonde: The Musical (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, Broadway.com Audience Award), Saturday Night Fever, Fascinating Rhythm, and Footloose. Her extensive recording career includes leading the ’90s pop group Or-N-More and she has performed with many music legends from the O’Jays to Chaka Kahn. Live at the Founders Club presents unforgettable live music in an intimate club setting with sweeping views of downtown Houston.
Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas” · 2337 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005
The Cultural Center “Our Texas” will host Havana: Where the Past Meets the Future, a collaborative exhibition featuring Cuban-American artist Timoteo Domínguez Fuentes and Russian-American photographer Vladimir Frumin. This visual dialogue brings together painting and photography to explore themes of identity, memory, and resilience. Domínguez Fuentes’ paintings examine migration, cultural identity, spirituality, and social resilience through vibrant, emotionally charged figurative compositions. His work merges traditional artistic language with contemporary conceptual approaches, reflecting on collective memory and the enduring strength of communities facing displacement and change. His work has been exhibited at venues including the YMCA and World Refugee Houston, and his murals can be found in hotels, restaurants, and schools across Houston, Cancún, and Havana. In Cuba, he was recognized as a winner of the “Panchito Simón” Municipal Plastic Arts Competition. Vladimir Frumin’s photography complements these themes through stark, contemplative images of neglected urban spaces—such as deserted parks and abandoned buildings—as well as portraits of isolated individuals. His work captures the quiet dignity of those living on the margins of society. His photography has received international recognition, including the Sony World Photography Awards for Conceptual Art (2016) and Portraits (2023). His work was exhibited at Somerset House in London. In 2016, Frumin received the Carol Crow Fellowship Award at the Houston Center for Photography for the documentary “Everybody’s 5th Ward,” as well as Black & White Magazine’s Excellence Award (2011) and Spotlight Award (2014). Together, the artists create a compelling narrative of shared human experience, bridging cultural and geographic divides through empathy and visual storytelling. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM Saturday, Sunday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sesh Coworking · 2808 Caroline St #100, Houston, TX 77004
Welcome drag enthusiasts! This is where drag royalty reigns, creativity blooms, and we honor The DRAG Legends that came before us. This Summit is a fully immersive celebration where artistry. identity. and legacy collide. This year, we are not just showcasing and developing talent… we are celebrating icons in real time. From rising stars to seasoned performers this stage is designed for those who understand that performance is more than entertainment… it’s impact, storytelling. and presence. This full day immersive experience at Sesh Coworking includes workshops and panels that give attendees the courage and confidence in their art form to cultivate their talents into paid artistry/performances. The community at large gets a “backstage pass” into the world of performance art, with their opportunity to get on stage and practice what they learn. The theme is “Drag Saved My Life: Legends Edition” which is centered in manifesting wealth, not only financially, but in Knowledge. resources, mental health, and community support. Leading these conversations we are curating various experts including therapists, pageant experts show directors, and seasoned drag legends. In fulfilling Tackle Ur Dreams mission, we are especially interested in developing AFAB (assigned female at birth) & BIPOC (BIacK Indigenous. People of Color) entertainers to be more competitive and directly improve financial benefits of being a performer. although ALL ARE INVITED to this family friendly event! We are committed to transferring the generational Knowledge of drag and performing legends to those interested in learning what has worked to create a long and profitable career in performance art. We are proud to uplift queer-owned brands new vendors and independent artists who need a financial hand. Apply for our Community Rate — we want everyone to feel seen and supported. Let’s make history. Let’s heal out loud. Let’s turn up the volume on our stories and silence the shame. We can’t wait to see you on stage. With love, Tackle Ur Dreams, Debonaire Events, and Divine Blueprint Consulting Crown Illusions is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church · 5501 Main Street, Houston, TX 77004
Gordon Education is excited to announce its 2026 Summer Film Camps, offering four immersive programs for young creatives aged 9 to 17. Each filmmaking camp focuses on a different genre: Historical, Changemakers, Documentary, and Narrative Fiction, allowing aspiring filmmakers to explore the art of cinema from multiple perspectives while developing their own voice. Narrative Fiction Filmmaking Camp | Ages 9 – 13 | 9 am – 3 pm July 13-17 at St. Paul’s School Young storytellers unleash their wildest creative visions in this story-driven filmmaking camp. Whether their movie is set in outer space or under the sea, campers have full artistic license to bring their unique ideas to the screen. Together, they will write, film, direct, and act in an original production, using the “Hero’s Journey” as a roadmap to learn the essentials of storytelling. Camp Leaders for the Time-Traveling Historical Camp are Dan Gordon and Bri Guerrero. Dan Gordon leads the Changemakers and Documentary Camps, and Bri Guerrero leads the Narrative Fiction Camp. Space is limited, and scholarships are available.
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WiVLA) is proud to present “WIld”, a collaboration exhibitions between writer and artists of WiVLA. The show will open Thursday August 6th thru September 12th, with a public reception August 7th at Sabine Street Sudios in Houston, Texas, with the writers reading their work that goes with the artwork on display. WILD, speaks to what is untamed, instinctive, and uncontained. It is a space beyond rules and refinement—where emotion, intuition, and raw experience lead. WILD can appear as nature, inner landscapes, memory, rebellion, or transformation. It invites artists to explore freedom, intensity, and the beauty found in disorder, risk, and vulnerability. expressed through painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and more.
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Teal—a striking blend of blue’s tranquility and green’s vitality—serves as both inspiration and vessel for this diverse collection of artworks that speak to transformation in its myriad forms. In the luminous heart of summer, Sabine Street Studios presents Transformative Teal, a bold and immersive exploration of change, fluidity, and renewal through the prism of a singular hue. Teal—a striking blend of blue’s tranquility and green’s vitality—serves as both inspiration and vessel for this diverse collection of works that speak to transformation in its myriad forms. Curated to challenge and enchant, Transformative Teal brings together an eclectic group of artists whose practices span painting, sculpture, photography, performance and digital media. Each piece embodies the dynamic tension and harmony inherent in transformation: the push and pull between past and future, the personal and collective, the seen and unseen. This exhibition invites viewers to immerse themselves in moments of metamorphosis—whether subtle or striking—within both the artworks and within themselves. The varying shades of teal ripple across the gallery space, echoing waves of change that touch every aspect of existence. From intimate narratives of identity and healing to expansive meditations on nature and society, the works showcased reveal how transformation is at once an external phenomenon and an internal journey. Step inside, and let teal’s transformative energy wash over you—inviting reflection, renewal, and revelation. Join us on August 6, from 6-8pm, for a mesmerizing opening reception featuring Sabine artist Amanda Silva’s “Transformative” performance as she sheds her skin like a snake. Enjoy live music by Aurum Son, led by Sonia Flores, along with drinks and snacks. As always, the reception is free and open to the public Featured Artists: Ksenia Kozhenkova, Kelly Best Bourgeois, Sara Meyer, Sarah Rolfvondenbaumen, Sheetal Dalwadi-Otia, Donna Carnahan, T. D. Paul Studio, Xavier Nguyen, Steve J. Smith, Pothik Chatterjee, Giselle Bueno, Shital Dalwadi, Toto, Romeo C. Robinson, Ana Sanchez, Anjali Nanda, Audrey Nguyen, Sneha Bhavsar, Roxy Wuz Here Art, Amanda T. Silva, Eric Coan, Justin Earl Grant, XZZX Image: Eric Coan, A Sanctuary of Silence
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Tattoo artist and curator Julian Solis, presents a unique showcase of works made by local Houston tattoo artists in a variety of media. Tattooing has long been accepted as a folk art. This exhibition asks viewers to consider tattoo art and work created by tattooers as fine art. Displayed in a traditional gallery setting, works in oil, graphite, ink, and more assert themselves as totally belonging, yet with a perspective unique to artists who work on the human body. In this showcase you’ll find traditional flash paintings alongside portraits in oils – both displaying the relationship tattooers have between their personal art practices and art made for clients. Leave this exhibit with a fresh take on how tattoo artists see the world – and how tattoo art is more than skin deep. The exhibition is on view through October 10 in the East Corridor Gallery at Sabine Street Studios. Gallery hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. About the curator: Julian Solis is a nonbinary tattoo artist living and working in Houston, Texas. A lifelong painter, Julian began tattooing in 2022. In both their paintings and tattoos, you can see a love of vibrant color and playful energy. Nostalgic or comforting imagery features heavily in all areas of their creative practice. They currently work out of Sabine Street Studios #165. Julian has been named “Best Tattoo Artist” in Outsmart Magazine’s “Gayest & Greatest” Reader’s choice awards in 2023 and 2025.
“The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure” at The Health Museum
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
An innovative new science exhibition on cancer is coming to Houston and will explore groundbreaking research, advanced medical technologies and promising new therapies. The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure will make its national premiere at The Health Museum on March 7, 2026, and be available until September 13, 2026. Designed for both adults and children, “The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure,” is a 5,000-square-foot exhibition full of multimedia experiences, thought-provoking science interactives, dynamic animations, stunning data visualizations and inspiring first-person videos to engage and empower visitors. The exhibition is presented by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the world’s most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. It was produced in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. “Cancer affects us all, whether personally or through someone we love. But there has never been a moment like this in cancer care and research,” said Peter W.T. Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “Breakthroughs are happening at an unprecedented pace, unlocking a new understanding of the disease and powerful new therapies that will transform outcomes, both for patients and those who want to reduce their risk. This exhibition provides an incredible opportunity to educate, engage and empower people of all ages as we work together to end cancer.” The exhibition includes a chance to become a cancer detective, using cutting-edge tools to detect cancer in different parts of the body. Visitors also can play an engaging, interactive game that reveals how seemingly simple, everyday choices can help reduce cancer risk. In other interactive experiences, visitors can supercharge the superheroes of the immune system to stop rogue cancer cells. Exhibit-goers also can enter an immersive media experience to view a microscopic universe inside their bodies and explore ideas for future cancer detection, from liquid biopsies to cancer-sniffing dogs. Throughout the experience, visitors will hear stories from survivors and clinicians who reveal the personal challenges they go through each day, providing a unique window into the emotional realities of facing cancer. If visitors need a moment of calm, they can visit a soothing sound and light experience that spotlights the role of therapies like meditation and yoga in cancer care. John Arcidiacono, President and CEO of The Health Museum, added: “These ‘aha’ moments of discovery ignite curiosity and inspire hope, empowering and educating people of all ages. The exhibition threads the needle carefully, dispelling myths and increasing understanding, while acknowledging the emotional impact cancer has on people’s lives, including my own.” The Health Museum is also planning activities and events to further educate audiences about cancer breakthroughs and how to reduce risk throughout the exhibition tour. H-E-B is generously sponsoring the exhibition at The Health Museum. “The Journey to End Cancer” is touring science museums across the U.S. for approximately the next five years. For more information, please visit: https://thehealthmuseum.org.
Asia Society Texas Center · 1370 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX 77004
Nevine Mahmoud unearths uncanny worlds from stone: jumbo-sized fruits drip with glass, a contorted marble faun arcs like an acrobat, and children’s toys are immortalized in white alabaster. Mahmoud’s works are placed throughout Asia Society Texas’ public spaces, engaging in a material dialogue with the building and manipulating one’s understanding of nature.
The Health Museum’s The Fatherhood Effect Healing Arts Exhibition
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
The Health Museum, an interactive health science museum located in the heart of the Houston Museum District, will debut their newest exhibition The Fatherhood Effect as part of the Healing Arts Program at a preview party on Friday, August 14, 2026, from 6-8 p.m. Six awards will be presented during the reception at 7 p.m. The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and will remain on display at The Health Museum until January 27, 2027. Through an open call for art, The Health Museum received powerful submissions of visual art that positioned fatherhood as a public health approach to healthier living. By elevating local stories and lived experiences, the exhibition invited reflection on how fatherhood has evolved over the past three decades—and how meaningful, engaged fatherhood contributes to healthier children, stronger families, and more connected communities. Through the arts and public health perspective, The Fatherhood Effect highlights fathers as present, nurturing, and deeply involved in caregiving. The exhibition challenges outdated stereotypes that define fathers solely as providers, and instead emphasizes care, emotional connection, and shared responsibility as essential elements of fatherhood. The artwork selection was juried by community leaders and fathers including Houston City Council Member District I Joaquin Martinez, Director of Harris County Boards and Commissions Daniel Santamaria, Director of Community Engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association Jorge Olvera, Founder and CEO of The Color of Coffee Collective Keith Hawkins, and Founder and Director of CoolxDad Kevin Barnett. Tickets for the exhibit preview reception on August 14, 2026, are available at 3586.blackbaudhosting.com/3586/Fatherhood-Effect-Preview-Reception and are $10 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. All tickets include live music, light bites, beverages, and free parking in the Museum’s surface lot. Doors open at 6pm and the awards will be announced at 7pm. The Healing Arts Program was launched in 2024 with a gallery opening for “Healing Hands: A Collection of Caregiver Expressions on Mental Wellness” and was created to explore the intersections of art, medicine, and culture, and provide the community with an outlet for processing experiences relating to physical and mental health. Through workshops, exhibitions, and community engagement, the program has increased the museum’s capacity for connection and healing in the Houston community. The Healing Arts Program focuses on connection, creativity, critical thinking, and compassionate dialogue, through a lens that healthier communities can be built through collaboration between individuals, educators, artists, and healthcare professionals.
Pedalisa Art Houston Sugarland Studio · 2309 Williams Trace Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77478
Discover the colorful art of Turkish mosaic lamp making at Pedalisa Art’s Sugar Land studio in the Houston area! During this fun, beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll choose your colors and patterns, then decorate your own lamp with vibrant glass tiles and beads. Our friendly instructors will guide you step by step, so no previous art experience is needed. Your workshop includes: • All mosaic materials and tools • Step-by-step guidance • Your selected lamp to create and take home • Turkish tea, baklava, and Turkish delight • Approximately 2–2.5 hours of creative fun After the workshop, you’ll take your handmade lamp home and receive simple instructions for completing the final grouting step. This unique Houston-area experience is perfect for date nights, birthdays, family outings, girls’ nights, team-building events, and anyone looking for a memorable creative activity. Ages 7 and up. Advance booking is recommended, as seating is limited. Come relax, get creative, and leave with a beautiful Turkish mosaic lamp made by you. Reserve your seat today!
Time to Get Ready: Fotografía Social | Civil Rights Photography of Maria Varela
The African American Library at the Gregory School · 1300 Victor St., Houston, TX 77019
Inspired by social justice activism in her south side Chicago Catholic high school, Maria Varela (b. 1940) accepted an invitation in 1963 to join the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a civil rights organization working in the U.S. south. She helped develop a voter literacy program and by 1965 was the only female staff photographer for SNCC. In 1968 the experienced civil rights activist accepted an invitation from Reies Lopez Tijerina to join the Land Grant Movement in New Mexico. When members of the movement requested help in restoring ancestral lands and cultural practices, she supported them in establishing co-ops and non-for-profits to help improve their lives. “The images in this exhibition reflect the evolution of resistance movements over nearly three decades, from demonstrations to political organizing to establishing alternative institutions, which would model what we would do ‘if we were in charge.’” — Maria Varela About the Photographer Maria Varela (American, b. 1940) was a staff member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963-1967 working primarily in Alabama and Mississippi. Varela created filmstrips and photo books utilized by SNCC and local community organizers for various organizing campaigns. As a SNCC staffer, she also photographed marches, as the presence of cameras often protected marchers from violence. In 1968, she moved to New Mexico at the invitation of leaders of the Hispano land rights movements. She also continued her photography documenting the 1968 Poor People Campaign, the first Chicano Youth Conference, the 1960s and 1970s Chicago movement, and the lifestyles of Nuevo Mexicano villages. For 40 years Maria organized rural communities in New Mexico and the Southwest to create culturally sustainable economic enterprises to help reduce poverty and loss of ancestral lands. In 1990, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for this work. For the last six decades, Maria’s work has been featured in books, magazines, TV media, and photo exhibitions. Her photographs can be found in the collections of the National Museum of African American Art, National Museum of Mexican Art, and the National Gallery of Art. This exhibition was organized by the National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, IL. Sponsored by Chicago Park District, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Exhibit: Spanish Texas During the American Revolution
The Heritage Society · 1100 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002
Spanish Texas During the American Revolution: Life and Legacy, 1775–1783 Opens at The Heritage Society HOUSTON — The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park opens its newest America250 exhibition today: Spanish Texas During the American Revolution: Life and Legacy, 1775–1783, a traveling exhibition that reframes the American Revolution through the experiences of Tejanos and Spanish settlers. The exhibit is produced by the Mexican American Museum of Texas in partnership with Dr. Tim Seiter, professor, historian, and author. Covering the years 1775 to 1783, the exhibition highlights Spanish Texas communities stretching from the Sabine to the Nueces Rivers, including San Antonio, La Bahía, Los Adaes and Nacogdoches. Organizers say the goal is to broaden public understanding of the Revolution as a continental conflict shaped by diverse communities far beyond the thirteen colonies. The Heritage Society will host an official Grand Opening Reception on September 16, launching Hispanic Heritage Month that is open to the public. Beginning in September, the museum will also present a Lunch & Learn speaker series every third Thursday of the month, featuring scholars who will explore daily life in Spanish Texas — from foodways and medicine to courtship, leisure, frontier justice and the region’s relationships with Native nations. Additional talks will examine Tejano support for Spanish military campaigns, including the donativos — donations made by residents to aid Spanish Colonel Bernardo de Gálvez’s efforts against the British. Research shows Spanish Texans contributed nearly 1,700 pesos, equivalent to about 340 head of cattle. To expand community access, The Heritage Society will host free family museum days tied to major cultural celebrations: Following Fiestas Patrias Parade on Saturday, September 19 During the Día de los Muertos parade and festival on Saturday, November 7.
Home Sweet Home: Greater Houston Subdivisions and Neighborhoods
Julia Ideson Building · 550 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77002
In 1836, brothers Augustus Chapman and John Kirby Allen founded the town of Houston at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou. Shortly after, they advertised the area in the Telegraph and Texas Register as “handsome and beautifully elevated,” where settlers could enjoy “the sea breeze in all its freshness.” The Allen Brothers’ descriptions may have been misleading, bu they were effective for attracting settlers and immigrants with the promise of a fresh start, cheap land, and economic opportunities. Houston has steadily grown from a fledgling town in the Republic of Texas into the fourth-largest metropolis in the United States. Home Sweet Home explores the creation of a selection of Greater Houston subdivisions, neighborhoods, and cities by featuring historical maps, brochures, postcards, and photographs.
The Menil Collection · 1533 Sul Ross Street, Houston, TX 77006
The Menil Collection presents “John Akomfrah: The Hour Of The Dog”, an immersive, six-channel video and sound installation by the Ghanaian-born British artist Sir John Akomfrah (b. 1957). The work, co-commissioned by the Menil and the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), explores the history of youth-led Civil Rights–era activism in the American South from 1954 to 1963. The 51-minute work is best experienced in its entirety, and will be on view at the Menil through October 11, 2026.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION: The Pernstein Women and Europe
Czech Cultural Center Houston (Czech Center Museum Houston) · 4920 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77004
The Pernstein Women and Europe explores how noblewomen of the Pernstein family shaped the cultural identity of Early Modern Europe. Through richly detailed panels, historical narratives, and period imagery, the exhibition highlights the last generation of this influential Czech aristocratic family and their far‑reaching connections across the continent. Drawing on research by historian Pavel Marek and developed by the East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice, the exhibition reveals how these women served as cultural intermediaries—linking the Czech lands with Italy, the Pyrenees, and other European regions. Their lives illuminate the movement of ideas, fashion, foodways, and artistic traditions that helped shape Europe’s emerging cultural identity. Presented as a traveling panel exhibition, The Pernstein Women and Europe commemorates 500 years of the Renaissance in Bohemia and offers visitors a vivid look at the role of noblewomen in the formation of Europe’s shared cultural heritage. This exhibition was created by the East Bohemia Museum in Pardubice in collaboration with the University of Pardubice.
The Menil Drawing Institute · 1412 W. Main St., Houston, TX 77006
This exhibition highlights paper itself—and its incongruous and variable characteristics—as an artistic material. Included are works that present a range of processes, as well as paper sculptures and found papers that imbue a finished work with an additional sense of history and place.
The Menil Drawing Institute · 1412 W. Main St., Houston, TX 77006
The Menil Collection has commissioned artist Jitish Kallat to create a site-specific wall drawing for the entry space of the Menil Drawing Institute. Born in Mumbai, where he continues to live and work, Kallat is a leading figure in contemporary Indian art. His work often probes the intersections of the intimate and the immense, weaving together references to history, science, philosophy, and the cosmic scale of time.
The Road to 40–A Retrospective of the Community Artists’ Collective
Community Artists’ Collective · 4111 Fannin St Suite 100, Houston, TX 77004
The Community Artists’ Collective will introduce its year-long 40th anniversary celebration to the public with “The Road to 40—A Retrospective of the Community Artists’ Collective.” The exhibition opens August 28 at 6 p.m. at The Collective, 4111 Fannin, Suite 100A. Curator Viktor Le Ewing-Givens notes that this retrospective exhibition honors the enduring legacy of the organization as a vital sanctuary for creative exchange and heritage preservation. Describing the exhibition which chronicles 40 years of art, impact and dedication, he continues, “through archival imagery, mixed media, fiber arts and immersive installation, we revisit the Collective’s meaningful impact and dynamic presence in the Houston cultural landscape. Ultimately, the space serves as a living sanctuary reflecting the invisible labor and sustained devotion of the intergenerational network of founders, local practitioners, and everyday culture-keepers who have continuously nurtured this ecosystem.” The exhibition opens the celebration of its milestone 40th anniversary leading up to FolkFest, a daylong event on February 27, 2027, which will take place on the Ion red lot city block (bounded by San Jacinto and Fannin and Cleburne and Wheeler) and will feature entertainment, food and art vendors and a visual history of The Collective’s years of activities. The exhibition, which continues through October 30, highlights The Collective’s four decades and addresses the future of the organization’s footprint. Visitors will learn when and why the organization was established and its impact on Houston’s art community and Black women artists in particular, its dedication to arts education for adults and youth and why the preservation of the cultural heritage of Houston’s Black community is important. In addition, the exhibit shows the impressive impact that The Collective has made on the economy of Houston neighborhoods and local artists, generating capital back to creators. Finally, this retrospective addresses the future sustainability of Black cultural institutions and how it will impact the next 40 years and those beyond. Admission to the exhibition is free. The Collective is open Thursday through Saturday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. Call 7113-523-1616 or visit www.thecollective.org. # # #
Maria Gaspar: We Press Our Hands to the Steel Curtain
Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston · 4173 Elgin St The University of Houston, Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77004
We Press Our Hands to the Steel Curtain brings together recent work that demonstrates how Gaspar engages with these carceral spaces, deploying time both as a tactic and material. The title is adapted from a line in Gloria Anzaldúa’s poem and essay “The Homeland, Aztlán/El otro México.” In dialogue with Anzaldúa’s writing, Gaspar sees walls as structures which shape psychic, social, and cultural terrains. Pressing hands might evoke healing or resistance: in either case, the gesture is dynamic and temporal.
Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston · 4173 Elgin St The University of Houston, Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77004
The Blaffer Museum at the University of Houston, in collaboration with the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College (FAC), is honored to present Adriana Corral: As Long as Life Endures. In new bodies of work, Corral studies the relationship between protection and vulnerability, between resilience and change. Continuing her ongoing exploration of human rights, Corral argues that such fundamental rights are only inscribed into cultural practice in the aftermath of violence and devastation. That tension–between crisis and redemption–underscores the ways in which such rights are not promised or permanent, but always in need of expansion and defense. At the heart of Corral’s project is an investigation of the forces that shape how life—and whose life—is valued. Religion, law, and civic infrastructure each aspire to provide protection, yet their histories reveal persistent failures and exclusions.
5601 B Navigation Blvd · 5601 B Navigation Blvd, Houston, 77011
NuestroWorld, created by Brooklyn-based artist Jesus Benavente, is an immersive, satirical exhibition that reimagines Houston as an amusement park. Beginning inside a visitor center filled with large-scale installations, neon sculptures, sound, banners, and limited-edition merchandise, the experience extends beyond the gallery through a free foldout guide featuring 13 destinations across Houston. Drawing on local history, folklore, and pop culture — from Astroworld and the Astrodome to Selena and the Battle of San Jacinto — NuestroWorld invites visitors to experience the city through a new lens, blending humor, nostalgia, and critical reflection into an interactive journey that evolves across the city. Opening Reception: August 13, 6 – 8 PM Gallery Hours: August 14 – September 12, Thu – Sat, 12 – 6 PM Closing Party: Sept 11, 6 – 8 PM For more information, visit: https://diverseworks.org/event/jesus-benavente-nuestroworld
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) · 5216 Montrose, Houston, TX 77006
Free lunch and art discussions at the Museum! Join artists Nick Vaughan and Jake Margolin, for a discussion related to Mary Ellen Carroll: How To Talk Dirty and Influence People. Light lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis after the gallery talk in the Cullen Education Resource Room on the lower level of the Museum. This event is free to attend. Please RSVP.
5601 B Navigation Blvd · 5601 B Navigation Blvd, Houston, 77011
NuestroWorld, created by Brooklyn-based artist Jesus Benavente, is an immersive, satirical exhibition that reimagines Houston as an amusement park. Beginning inside a visitor center filled with large-scale installations, neon sculptures, sound, banners, and limited-edition merchandise, the experience extends beyond the gallery through a free foldout guide featuring 13 destinations across Houston. Drawing on local history, folklore, and pop culture — from Astroworld and the Astrodome to Selena and the Battle of San Jacinto — NuestroWorld invites visitors to experience the city through a new lens, blending humor, nostalgia, and critical reflection into an interactive journey that evolves across the city. Opening Reception: August 13, 6 – 8 PM Gallery Hours: August 14 – September 12, Thu – Sat, 12 – 6 PM Closing Party: Sept 11, 6 – 8 PM For more information, visit: https://diverseworks.org/event/jesus-benavente-nuestroworld
The Friday Exhale: An Intuitive Paint & Sip Experience
Sawyer Yards · 2101 Winter St, Houston, TX 77007
The Friday Exhale Paint. Pour. Exhale. An intuitive watercolor + gouache experience designed for people who need a little less pressure and a little more room to breathe. You made it through the week. Now come exhale. The Friday Exhale is a relaxed, process-based creative experience at Restoration Studio designed to help you slow down, explore, and create without the pressure to make something “good.” This is not an art class. There is no perfect technique to master, no finished piece you are expected to recreate, and no artistic experience required. Instead, you’ll be invited to move between watercolor on paper, HIMI gouache, or both, experimenting with color, movement, layering, water, and intuitive mark making while learning simple ways to let the creative process lead. We’ll offer just enough guidance to help you get started, then give you the freedom to explore. Come with your girlfriends. Make it a date night. Come alone and claim two quiet hours at the end of your week just for yourself. Your evening includes: Access to watercolor and HIMI gouache materials Gentle guidance in intuitive, process-based painting Plenty of room to experiment, wander, and make a mess Water and sparkling water Herbal tea A glass of bubbly A calm, welcoming studio environment where you do not have to perform Prefer something other than bubbly? You are welcome to BYOB. At Restoration Studio, we believe creativity does not have to be productive to be meaningful. Sometimes it can simply be a way to come back to the present. To notice color. To move your hands. To breathe a little deeper. To remember what it feels like to create without trying to impress anyone. No experience necessary. No pressure. No right way to do it. Just paint, pour, and exhale. Tickets: $48 per person Come as you are. We’ll have everything else waiting for you.
BOX 13 ArtSpace is pleased to present four new exhibitions opening Friday, September 11 , 2026 6–9 PM. BOX 13 ArtSpace is pleased to present in the Front BOX gallery: “Cryptic Bodies,” an exhibition of four interdisciplinary Houston-based femme artists who work in sculpture, collage, zines, and socially engaged practices. As one excavates their layered work, bodies are revealed, both human, non-human, touching upon women’s health, fragmentary memories, and interconnected ecosystems and identities. The exhibit in the Back gallery features Chris Ireland’s “Dead Letter Office,” which explores home, memory, and placelessness through carefully constructed collages that combine fragments from lived experience, online archives, real estate listings, and personal photographs. For “Mother Earth Weaves Infinite” in the Box 13 Window BOX Gallery, Cathie Kayser and Ellen H Ray use a variety of materials and techniques, including fabrics, mulberry silks, soft sculpture, paper mache, and wire and paper sculptures to present an immersive experience that highlights the complexity of the mycorrhizal network. With this work, the artists invite viewers to consider the interconnectedness of all living systems. The Earth, and the universe encompassing it, is a master plan of intelligent design that holds lessons for us about systems that work. Moving to our Upstairs BOX gallery we are excited to introduce “Grip Strength: An Army of Lovers Shall Not Fail” by KT Abadir-Mullally. Through interactive soft sculptures and ceramics inspired by strength sports and queer activism, the exhibition invites visitors to engage with themes of queer resilience, desire, collective power, and resistance. The exhibitions continue through October 10, 2026. An Opening Reception will be held on Friday, September 11, 2026, 6–9 PM at BOX 13 ArtSpace, 6700 Harrisburg, Houston, TX 77011. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and Houston MOCA. Additional support is provided by The Brown Foundation, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Giant Texas Distillers, JP Morgan – Nancy O’Connor Fund, and all who help make our programming possible.
Restorations & Revivals: TAKE CARE OF MY CAT (고양이를 부탁해)
Museum of Fine Arts – Nancy & Rich Kinder Building · 1001 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005
TAKE CARE OF MY CAT (고양이를 부탁해) Directed by Jeong Jae-eun (South Korea, 2001, 112 min., in Korean with English subtitles, 4K digital restoration) Friday–Saturday, September 11–12, 7:00 p.m. WYATTA sleeper hit in 2001, this perceptive debut chronicles the lives of five graduating friends (among them Bae Doona and Lee Yo-won in breakout roles) whose bonds fracture as they contend with unrealized dreams and unequal opportunities. Set in the port city of Incheon, the film tackles notions of class, solidarity, and privilege—in what is now a timeless snapshot of a rapidly evolving society. Suffused with the joys of girlhood, yet cleareyed about the uneasy transition into adulthood, Take Care of My Cat offers a tender portrait of young women at the turn of the new millennium.
Station Theater · 2000 Nance St Ste A-100, Houston, 77020
Station Theater’s weekly FREE Level 0 class is a fun, no-pressure way to try improv! This weekly 30-minute class lets you get a taste of Station’s improv training program, and it’s a great way to spend a Friday night! Students are invited to stay for the 8:00 pm show for free, pending ticket availability, and will receive a discount code for our nine-week Level 1 class. This class is perfect for those wanting to get a taste of our improv training program before registering – or for those wanting to try something new and have fun!
Wortham Theater Center – Brown Theater · 501 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002
The trio of ballets in this brilliant mixed repertory program, Pecos Bill, features George Balanchine’s Symphonie Concertante making its Houston premiere, pairing Mozart’s grand score with neoclassical elegance. Lar Lubovitch’s Meadow makes its Houston debut blending sculptural dance with a dream-like score that invites audiences to discover their own meaning within its breathtaking movements. Stanton Welch’s Pecos Bill brings playful choreography, Texan charm, and frontier spirit to this theatrical revival.
Houston Public Library – Central (Jesse H. Jones) · 500 McKinney, Houston, TX 77002
Fashion Fusion X: Inspired by Frida Kahlo features garments from the tenth anniversary of Fashion Fusion, an annual competition and runway show presented by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), and the award-winning Fashion Design program at Houston City College (HCC). This year, HCC students and alumni designed original outfits inspired by the MFAH’s recent exhibition, Frida: The Making of an Icon, which was devoted to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s life and legacy. The garments created by HCC’s emerging designers were entered into one of four representative categories: Regenerate, Reimagine, Reengineer, or Reveal. This community tour showcases the winning outfits from the competition. Student Winners Reimagine: Darrion Nguyen – Blossoms in Maroon Regenerate: Remi Erinle – Beauty Around the World Reengineer: Tanya Roche – Hummingbird Alumni Winners Reimagine: Tatyana Miller – El Cantor Regenerate: Ebonie Sophus – The Blooming Confluence Reengineer: Kim Lai – Appearances Reveal: Estefania Espindola – Resiliences Audience Choice Winner Estefania Espindola – Proudly Tehuano
Hobby Center for the Performing Arts · 800 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002
Grammy and Tony Award nominee Orfeh brings powerhouse vocals, sharp storytelling, and unmistakable style to the Founders Club for an evening that blends music, personality, and a few surprises along the way. Joined by Houston native and Rice University alumnus Steven Jamail, Orfeh moves across genres with ease, pairing songs audiences love with stories from her life and career, including a few nods to Texas legends. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Tony and Grammy Award nominee Orfeh most recently starred as Tess in Burlesque the Musical in London’s West End, and as Kit De Luca in Pretty Woman the Musical on Broadway. Other favorite Broadway credits include Paulette in Legally Blonde: The Musical (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, Broadway.com Audience Award), Saturday Night Fever, Fascinating Rhythm, and Footloose. Her extensive recording career includes leading the ’90s pop group Or-N-More and she has performed with many music legends from the O’Jays to Chaka Kahn. Live at the Founders Club presents unforgettable live music in an intimate club setting with sweeping views of downtown Houston.
Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas” · 2337 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005
The Cultural Center “Our Texas” will host Havana: Where the Past Meets the Future, a collaborative exhibition featuring Cuban-American artist Timoteo Domínguez Fuentes and Russian-American photographer Vladimir Frumin. This visual dialogue brings together painting and photography to explore themes of identity, memory, and resilience. Domínguez Fuentes’ paintings examine migration, cultural identity, spirituality, and social resilience through vibrant, emotionally charged figurative compositions. His work merges traditional artistic language with contemporary conceptual approaches, reflecting on collective memory and the enduring strength of communities facing displacement and change. His work has been exhibited at venues including the YMCA and World Refugee Houston, and his murals can be found in hotels, restaurants, and schools across Houston, Cancún, and Havana. In Cuba, he was recognized as a winner of the “Panchito Simón” Municipal Plastic Arts Competition. Vladimir Frumin’s photography complements these themes through stark, contemplative images of neglected urban spaces—such as deserted parks and abandoned buildings—as well as portraits of isolated individuals. His work captures the quiet dignity of those living on the margins of society. His photography has received international recognition, including the Sony World Photography Awards for Conceptual Art (2016) and Portraits (2023). His work was exhibited at Somerset House in London. In 2016, Frumin received the Carol Crow Fellowship Award at the Houston Center for Photography for the documentary “Everybody’s 5th Ward,” as well as Black & White Magazine’s Excellence Award (2011) and Spotlight Award (2014). Together, the artists create a compelling narrative of shared human experience, bridging cultural and geographic divides through empathy and visual storytelling. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM Saturday, Sunday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Toyota Center · 1510 Polk Street., Houston, TX 77002
Toyota Center is excited to welcome the Cash Money & No Limit Tour to the stage on September 11, bringing together two of the most influential empires in hip-hop history for an unprecedented cultural experience. Cash Money & No Limit Tour will include a star-studded lineup: Birdman, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, B.G., Master P, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, Mac, Mercedes, Fiend, Choppa Style, and Mr. Serv-On, with special guest Boosie BadAzz. This is not just a tour, it’s a tribute to the movement that changed music forever. Don’t miss your chance to experience it live this fall! Artist subject to change. No refunds or exchanges. All sales final
Miller Outdoor Theatre · 6000 Hermann Park Dr., Houston, TX 77030
Tickets will be available at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 10. Please note that this program takes place offsite at Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive. Be one of the first in Houston to experience the soulful sounds of breakout Vietnamese R&B artist Mỹ Anh as she makes her Houston debut at Miller Outdoor Theatre. The live concert will journey across her discography featuring her neo soul grooves, emotional ballads, and alternative pop soundscapes drawn from her debut album ‘Em’ through her English-language EP ‘phases of the moon’ — including a preview of unreleased new music — channeling the momentum and magnetic energy that fueled her recent smash international tour.
It’s time for ENROLLMENT at the Russian Language School for the upcoming FALL semester! REGISTER NOW! Group classes are available EVERY Saturday & Sunday starting September 6, 2025. We accept children ages 3 thru 14. Hurry up and secure your spot at the School!
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church · 5501 Main Street, Houston, TX 77004
Gordon Education is excited to announce its 2026 Summer Film Camps, offering four immersive programs for young creatives aged 9 to 17. Each filmmaking camp focuses on a different genre: Historical, Changemakers, Documentary, and Narrative Fiction, allowing aspiring filmmakers to explore the art of cinema from multiple perspectives while developing their own voice. Narrative Fiction Filmmaking Camp | Ages 9 – 13 | 9 am – 3 pm July 13-17 at St. Paul’s School Young storytellers unleash their wildest creative visions in this story-driven filmmaking camp. Whether their movie is set in outer space or under the sea, campers have full artistic license to bring their unique ideas to the screen. Together, they will write, film, direct, and act in an original production, using the “Hero’s Journey” as a roadmap to learn the essentials of storytelling. Camp Leaders for the Time-Traveling Historical Camp are Dan Gordon and Bri Guerrero. Dan Gordon leads the Changemakers and Documentary Camps, and Bri Guerrero leads the Narrative Fiction Camp. Space is limited, and scholarships are available.
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WiVLA) is proud to present “WIld”, a collaboration exhibitions between writer and artists of WiVLA. The show will open Thursday August 6th thru September 12th, with a public reception August 7th at Sabine Street Sudios in Houston, Texas, with the writers reading their work that goes with the artwork on display. WILD, speaks to what is untamed, instinctive, and uncontained. It is a space beyond rules and refinement—where emotion, intuition, and raw experience lead. WILD can appear as nature, inner landscapes, memory, rebellion, or transformation. It invites artists to explore freedom, intensity, and the beauty found in disorder, risk, and vulnerability. expressed through painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and more.
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Teal—a striking blend of blue’s tranquility and green’s vitality—serves as both inspiration and vessel for this diverse collection of artworks that speak to transformation in its myriad forms. In the luminous heart of summer, Sabine Street Studios presents Transformative Teal, a bold and immersive exploration of change, fluidity, and renewal through the prism of a singular hue. Teal—a striking blend of blue’s tranquility and green’s vitality—serves as both inspiration and vessel for this diverse collection of works that speak to transformation in its myriad forms. Curated to challenge and enchant, Transformative Teal brings together an eclectic group of artists whose practices span painting, sculpture, photography, performance and digital media. Each piece embodies the dynamic tension and harmony inherent in transformation: the push and pull between past and future, the personal and collective, the seen and unseen. This exhibition invites viewers to immerse themselves in moments of metamorphosis—whether subtle or striking—within both the artworks and within themselves. The varying shades of teal ripple across the gallery space, echoing waves of change that touch every aspect of existence. From intimate narratives of identity and healing to expansive meditations on nature and society, the works showcased reveal how transformation is at once an external phenomenon and an internal journey. Step inside, and let teal’s transformative energy wash over you—inviting reflection, renewal, and revelation. Join us on August 6, from 6-8pm, for a mesmerizing opening reception featuring Sabine artist Amanda Silva’s “Transformative” performance as she sheds her skin like a snake. Enjoy live music by Aurum Son, led by Sonia Flores, along with drinks and snacks. As always, the reception is free and open to the public Featured Artists: Ksenia Kozhenkova, Kelly Best Bourgeois, Sara Meyer, Sarah Rolfvondenbaumen, Sheetal Dalwadi-Otia, Donna Carnahan, T. D. Paul Studio, Xavier Nguyen, Steve J. Smith, Pothik Chatterjee, Giselle Bueno, Shital Dalwadi, Toto, Romeo C. Robinson, Ana Sanchez, Anjali Nanda, Audrey Nguyen, Sneha Bhavsar, Roxy Wuz Here Art, Amanda T. Silva, Eric Coan, Justin Earl Grant, XZZX Image: Eric Coan, A Sanctuary of Silence
Sabine Street Studios · 1907 Sabine Street Studios, Houston, TX 77007
Tattoo artist and curator Julian Solis, presents a unique showcase of works made by local Houston tattoo artists in a variety of media. Tattooing has long been accepted as a folk art. This exhibition asks viewers to consider tattoo art and work created by tattooers as fine art. Displayed in a traditional gallery setting, works in oil, graphite, ink, and more assert themselves as totally belonging, yet with a perspective unique to artists who work on the human body. In this showcase you’ll find traditional flash paintings alongside portraits in oils – both displaying the relationship tattooers have between their personal art practices and art made for clients. Leave this exhibit with a fresh take on how tattoo artists see the world – and how tattoo art is more than skin deep. The exhibition is on view through October 10 in the East Corridor Gallery at Sabine Street Studios. Gallery hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. About the curator: Julian Solis is a nonbinary tattoo artist living and working in Houston, Texas. A lifelong painter, Julian began tattooing in 2022. In both their paintings and tattoos, you can see a love of vibrant color and playful energy. Nostalgic or comforting imagery features heavily in all areas of their creative practice. They currently work out of Sabine Street Studios #165. Julian has been named “Best Tattoo Artist” in Outsmart Magazine’s “Gayest & Greatest” Reader’s choice awards in 2023 and 2025.
“The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure” at The Health Museum
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
An innovative new science exhibition on cancer is coming to Houston and will explore groundbreaking research, advanced medical technologies and promising new therapies. The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure will make its national premiere at The Health Museum on March 7, 2026, and be available until September 13, 2026. Designed for both adults and children, “The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure,” is a 5,000-square-foot exhibition full of multimedia experiences, thought-provoking science interactives, dynamic animations, stunning data visualizations and inspiring first-person videos to engage and empower visitors. The exhibition is presented by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the world’s most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. It was produced in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. “Cancer affects us all, whether personally or through someone we love. But there has never been a moment like this in cancer care and research,” said Peter W.T. Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “Breakthroughs are happening at an unprecedented pace, unlocking a new understanding of the disease and powerful new therapies that will transform outcomes, both for patients and those who want to reduce their risk. This exhibition provides an incredible opportunity to educate, engage and empower people of all ages as we work together to end cancer.” The exhibition includes a chance to become a cancer detective, using cutting-edge tools to detect cancer in different parts of the body. Visitors also can play an engaging, interactive game that reveals how seemingly simple, everyday choices can help reduce cancer risk. In other interactive experiences, visitors can supercharge the superheroes of the immune system to stop rogue cancer cells. Exhibit-goers also can enter an immersive media experience to view a microscopic universe inside their bodies and explore ideas for future cancer detection, from liquid biopsies to cancer-sniffing dogs. Throughout the experience, visitors will hear stories from survivors and clinicians who reveal the personal challenges they go through each day, providing a unique window into the emotional realities of facing cancer. If visitors need a moment of calm, they can visit a soothing sound and light experience that spotlights the role of therapies like meditation and yoga in cancer care. John Arcidiacono, President and CEO of The Health Museum, added: “These ‘aha’ moments of discovery ignite curiosity and inspire hope, empowering and educating people of all ages. The exhibition threads the needle carefully, dispelling myths and increasing understanding, while acknowledging the emotional impact cancer has on people’s lives, including my own.” The Health Museum is also planning activities and events to further educate audiences about cancer breakthroughs and how to reduce risk throughout the exhibition tour. H-E-B is generously sponsoring the exhibition at The Health Museum. “The Journey to End Cancer” is touring science museums across the U.S. for approximately the next five years. For more information, please visit: https://thehealthmuseum.org.
Asia Society Texas Center · 1370 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX 77004
Nevine Mahmoud unearths uncanny worlds from stone: jumbo-sized fruits drip with glass, a contorted marble faun arcs like an acrobat, and children’s toys are immortalized in white alabaster. Mahmoud’s works are placed throughout Asia Society Texas’ public spaces, engaging in a material dialogue with the building and manipulating one’s understanding of nature.
The Health Museum’s The Fatherhood Effect Healing Arts Exhibition
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
The Health Museum, an interactive health science museum located in the heart of the Houston Museum District, will debut their newest exhibition The Fatherhood Effect as part of the Healing Arts Program at a preview party on Friday, August 14, 2026, from 6-8 p.m. Six awards will be presented during the reception at 7 p.m. The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and will remain on display at The Health Museum until January 27, 2027. Through an open call for art, The Health Museum received powerful submissions of visual art that positioned fatherhood as a public health approach to healthier living. By elevating local stories and lived experiences, the exhibition invited reflection on how fatherhood has evolved over the past three decades—and how meaningful, engaged fatherhood contributes to healthier children, stronger families, and more connected communities. Through the arts and public health perspective, The Fatherhood Effect highlights fathers as present, nurturing, and deeply involved in caregiving. The exhibition challenges outdated stereotypes that define fathers solely as providers, and instead emphasizes care, emotional connection, and shared responsibility as essential elements of fatherhood. The artwork selection was juried by community leaders and fathers including Houston City Council Member District I Joaquin Martinez, Director of Harris County Boards and Commissions Daniel Santamaria, Director of Community Engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association Jorge Olvera, Founder and CEO of The Color of Coffee Collective Keith Hawkins, and Founder and Director of CoolxDad Kevin Barnett. Tickets for the exhibit preview reception on August 14, 2026, are available at 3586.blackbaudhosting.com/3586/Fatherhood-Effect-Preview-Reception and are $10 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. All tickets include live music, light bites, beverages, and free parking in the Museum’s surface lot. Doors open at 6pm and the awards will be announced at 7pm. The Healing Arts Program was launched in 2024 with a gallery opening for “Healing Hands: A Collection of Caregiver Expressions on Mental Wellness” and was created to explore the intersections of art, medicine, and culture, and provide the community with an outlet for processing experiences relating to physical and mental health. Through workshops, exhibitions, and community engagement, the program has increased the museum’s capacity for connection and healing in the Houston community. The Healing Arts Program focuses on connection, creativity, critical thinking, and compassionate dialogue, through a lens that healthier communities can be built through collaboration between individuals, educators, artists, and healthcare professionals.
Pedalisa Art Houston Sugarland Studio · 2309 Williams Trace Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77478
Discover the colorful art of Turkish mosaic lamp making at Pedalisa Art’s Sugar Land studio in the Houston area! During this fun, beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll choose your colors and patterns, then decorate your own lamp with vibrant glass tiles and beads. Our friendly instructors will guide you step by step, so no previous art experience is needed. Your workshop includes: • All mosaic materials and tools • Step-by-step guidance • Your selected lamp to create and take home • Turkish tea, baklava, and Turkish delight • Approximately 2–2.5 hours of creative fun After the workshop, you’ll take your handmade lamp home and receive simple instructions for completing the final grouting step. This unique Houston-area experience is perfect for date nights, birthdays, family outings, girls’ nights, team-building events, and anyone looking for a memorable creative activity. Ages 7 and up. Advance booking is recommended, as seating is limited. Come relax, get creative, and leave with a beautiful Turkish mosaic lamp made by you. Reserve your seat today!
Time to Get Ready: Fotografía Social | Civil Rights Photography of Maria Varela
The African American Library at the Gregory School · 1300 Victor St., Houston, TX 77019
Inspired by social justice activism in her south side Chicago Catholic high school, Maria Varela (b. 1940) accepted an invitation in 1963 to join the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a civil rights organization working in the U.S. south. She helped develop a voter literacy program and by 1965 was the only female staff photographer for SNCC. In 1968 the experienced civil rights activist accepted an invitation from Reies Lopez Tijerina to join the Land Grant Movement in New Mexico. When members of the movement requested help in restoring ancestral lands and cultural practices, she supported them in establishing co-ops and non-for-profits to help improve their lives. “The images in this exhibition reflect the evolution of resistance movements over nearly three decades, from demonstrations to political organizing to establishing alternative institutions, which would model what we would do ‘if we were in charge.’” — Maria Varela About the Photographer Maria Varela (American, b. 1940) was a staff member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963-1967 working primarily in Alabama and Mississippi. Varela created filmstrips and photo books utilized by SNCC and local community organizers for various organizing campaigns. As a SNCC staffer, she also photographed marches, as the presence of cameras often protected marchers from violence. In 1968, she moved to New Mexico at the invitation of leaders of the Hispano land rights movements. She also continued her photography documenting the 1968 Poor People Campaign, the first Chicano Youth Conference, the 1960s and 1970s Chicago movement, and the lifestyles of Nuevo Mexicano villages. For 40 years Maria organized rural communities in New Mexico and the Southwest to create culturally sustainable economic enterprises to help reduce poverty and loss of ancestral lands. In 1990, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for this work. For the last six decades, Maria’s work has been featured in books, magazines, TV media, and photo exhibitions. Her photographs can be found in the collections of the National Museum of African American Art, National Museum of Mexican Art, and the National Gallery of Art. This exhibition was organized by the National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, IL. Sponsored by Chicago Park District, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Exhibit: Spanish Texas During the American Revolution
The Heritage Society · 1100 Bagby, Houston, TX 77002
Spanish Texas During the American Revolution: Life and Legacy, 1775–1783 Opens at The Heritage Society HOUSTON — The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park opens its newest America250 exhibition today: Spanish Texas During the American Revolution: Life and Legacy, 1775–1783, a traveling exhibition that reframes the American Revolution through the experiences of Tejanos and Spanish settlers. The exhibit is produced by the Mexican American Museum of Texas in partnership with Dr. Tim Seiter, professor, historian, and author. Covering the years 1775 to 1783, the exhibition highlights Spanish Texas communities stretching from the Sabine to the Nueces Rivers, including San Antonio, La Bahía, Los Adaes and Nacogdoches. Organizers say the goal is to broaden public understanding of the Revolution as a continental conflict shaped by diverse communities far beyond the thirteen colonies. The Heritage Society will host an official Grand Opening Reception on September 16, launching Hispanic Heritage Month that is open to the public. Beginning in September, the museum will also present a Lunch & Learn speaker series every third Thursday of the month, featuring scholars who will explore daily life in Spanish Texas — from foodways and medicine to courtship, leisure, frontier justice and the region’s relationships with Native nations. Additional talks will examine Tejano support for Spanish military campaigns, including the donativos — donations made by residents to aid Spanish Colonel Bernardo de Gálvez’s efforts against the British. Research shows Spanish Texans contributed nearly 1,700 pesos, equivalent to about 340 head of cattle. To expand community access, The Heritage Society will host free family museum days tied to major cultural celebrations: Following Fiestas Patrias Parade on Saturday, September 19 During the Día de los Muertos parade and festival on Saturday, November 7.
Home Sweet Home: Greater Houston Subdivisions and Neighborhoods
Julia Ideson Building · 550 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77002
In 1836, brothers Augustus Chapman and John Kirby Allen founded the town of Houston at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou. Shortly after, they advertised the area in the Telegraph and Texas Register as “handsome and beautifully elevated,” where settlers could enjoy “the sea breeze in all its freshness.” The Allen Brothers’ descriptions may have been misleading, bu they were effective for attracting settlers and immigrants with the promise of a fresh start, cheap land, and economic opportunities. Houston has steadily grown from a fledgling town in the Republic of Texas into the fourth-largest metropolis in the United States. Home Sweet Home explores the creation of a selection of Greater Houston subdivisions, neighborhoods, and cities by featuring historical maps, brochures, postcards, and photographs.
Hooks-Epstein Galleries proudly opens the 2026-2027 Art Season with an exhibition of new paintings and drawings by Houston-based artist, Angel Castelán. “Sanctuary” will open on Saturday, September 12, 2026, with an Opening Reception from 5:00PM – 7:00PM. The exhibition will continue through Saturday, October 3, 2026. Artist Talk with Angel Castelán TBA. Angel Castelán’s “Sanctuary” explores the many forms refuge can take: a relationship, a memory, a place, or a connection to one’s cultural roots. While informed by personal experience, Castelán’s works resist a singular narrative. Quiet acts of care between partners, domestic rituals, and culturally significant places unfold as interconnected fragments, inviting viewers to decide whether they are witnessing a tragedy, a transformation, or enduring love. As a queer Mexican American artist, Castelán draws from personal photographs, memory, and Nahua cosmologies to consider how identity is shaped through both chosen and inherited histories. Locations such as Xochimilco become more than settings; they serve as repositories of memory, ancestry, and belonging, where lived experience and cultural inheritance converge. “Sanctuary” suggests that refuge is not always something that is discovered, but created through intimacy, memory, places, and the stories that are inherited, created, and preserved. Born and raised in Houston, TX, Angel Castelán is an interdisciplinary artist who works in painting, drawing, and relief printmaking. Castelán earned both, his BFA in Painting with a minor in Art History and his MFA in Painting from the University of Houston. He has shown his work throughout Texas, including the Holocaust Museum Houston, The Blaffer Art Museum (Houston), Lawndale Art Center (Houston), and Clamp Light Gallery (San Antonio). Castelán is currently a professor at Houston Community College and Sam Houston State University.
The Menil Collection · 1533 Sul Ross Street, Houston, TX 77006
The Menil Collection presents “John Akomfrah: The Hour Of The Dog”, an immersive, six-channel video and sound installation by the Ghanaian-born British artist Sir John Akomfrah (b. 1957). The work, co-commissioned by the Menil and the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), explores the history of youth-led Civil Rights–era activism in the American South from 1954 to 1963. The 51-minute work is best experienced in its entirety, and will be on view at the Menil through October 11, 2026.
SPECIAL EXHIBITION: The Pernstein Women and Europe
Czech Cultural Center Houston (Czech Center Museum Houston) · 4920 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77004
The Pernstein Women and Europe explores how noblewomen of the Pernstein family shaped the cultural identity of Early Modern Europe. Through richly detailed panels, historical narratives, and period imagery, the exhibition highlights the last generation of this influential Czech aristocratic family and their far‑reaching connections across the continent. Drawing on research by historian Pavel Marek and developed by the East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice, the exhibition reveals how these women served as cultural intermediaries—linking the Czech lands with Italy, the Pyrenees, and other European regions. Their lives illuminate the movement of ideas, fashion, foodways, and artistic traditions that helped shape Europe’s emerging cultural identity. Presented as a traveling panel exhibition, The Pernstein Women and Europe commemorates 500 years of the Renaissance in Bohemia and offers visitors a vivid look at the role of noblewomen in the formation of Europe’s shared cultural heritage. This exhibition was created by the East Bohemia Museum in Pardubice in collaboration with the University of Pardubice.
Hooks-Epstein Galleries proudly opens the 2026-2027 Art Season with an exhibition of new drawings by Houston-based artist, Charlotte Cosgrove. “Every Day” will open on Saturday, September 12, 2026, with an Opening Reception taking place from 5:00-7:00PM. In addition, save the date for Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. for an Artist Conversation and Happy Hour with Charlotte Cosgrove at Hooks-Epstein Galleries. The exhibition will continue through Saturday, October 3, 2026. Charlotte Cosgrove’s drawings in “Every Day” reflect her observations of the world, as well as her affinity for and personal connection to the Maine landscape. Narrative in nature, the works possess a fairytale quality infused with humor and an undercurrent of unease. Like miniature soap operas, they are odd, edgy, and furtive, where reality meets the unexpected. This ambiguity invites reflection and allows viewers to arrive at their own interpretations. Beginning with only a loosely formed idea, the drawings evolve intuitively through memory, photography, current events, and collected objects, resulting in images that reflect the absurdities of everyday life, alongside the political and cultural tensions of the contemporary world. Cosgrove completed her BA of Applied Art at Pennsylvania State University (1961) and her MFA in Painting at the University of Pennsylvania (1962). She studied Printmaking at the Arts and Crafts Center in Pittsburgh, PA (1965). In 1967, Cosgrove joined the faculty of the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, where she taught Studio and Art History courses for 50 years. Her work has been presented in solo exhibitions at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont, TX (2009) and the Ellen Noël Art Museum in Odessa, TX (2007), and has been featured in numerous group exhibitions throughout Texas. Cosgrove’s work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, and in various private collections.
Czech Cultural Center Houston (Czech Center Museum Houston) · 4920 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77004
Learning, culture, and community—every Second Saturday! Students are invited to dive into Czech heritage through hands‑on activities and guided exploration at CCMH. A welcoming space for families to learn together. Students with a valid school I.D. receive FREE GENERAL ADMISSION to the Czech Center Museum Houston on the second Saturday of each month.
The Menil Drawing Institute · 1412 W. Main St., Houston, TX 77006
This exhibition highlights paper itself—and its incongruous and variable characteristics—as an artistic material. Included are works that present a range of processes, as well as paper sculptures and found papers that imbue a finished work with an additional sense of history and place.
The Menil Drawing Institute · 1412 W. Main St., Houston, TX 77006
The Menil Collection has commissioned artist Jitish Kallat to create a site-specific wall drawing for the entry space of the Menil Drawing Institute. Born in Mumbai, where he continues to live and work, Kallat is a leading figure in contemporary Indian art. His work often probes the intersections of the intimate and the immense, weaving together references to history, science, philosophy, and the cosmic scale of time.
Maria Gaspar: We Press Our Hands to the Steel Curtain
Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston · 4173 Elgin St The University of Houston, Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77004
We Press Our Hands to the Steel Curtain brings together recent work that demonstrates how Gaspar engages with these carceral spaces, deploying time both as a tactic and material. The title is adapted from a line in Gloria Anzaldúa’s poem and essay “The Homeland, Aztlán/El otro México.” In dialogue with Anzaldúa’s writing, Gaspar sees walls as structures which shape psychic, social, and cultural terrains. Pressing hands might evoke healing or resistance: in either case, the gesture is dynamic and temporal.
Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston · 4173 Elgin St The University of Houston, Fine Arts Building, Houston, TX 77004
The Blaffer Museum at the University of Houston, in collaboration with the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College (FAC), is honored to present Adriana Corral: As Long as Life Endures. In new bodies of work, Corral studies the relationship between protection and vulnerability, between resilience and change. Continuing her ongoing exploration of human rights, Corral argues that such fundamental rights are only inscribed into cultural practice in the aftermath of violence and devastation. That tension–between crisis and redemption–underscores the ways in which such rights are not promised or permanent, but always in need of expansion and defense. At the heart of Corral’s project is an investigation of the forces that shape how life—and whose life—is valued. Religion, law, and civic infrastructure each aspire to provide protection, yet their histories reveal persistent failures and exclusions.
The Road to 40–A Retrospective of the Community Artists’ Collective
Community Artists’ Collective · 4111 Fannin St Suite 100, Houston, TX 77004
The Community Artists’ Collective will introduce its year-long 40th anniversary celebration to the public with “The Road to 40—A Retrospective of the Community Artists’ Collective.” The exhibition opens August 28 at 6 p.m. at The Collective, 4111 Fannin, Suite 100A. Curator Viktor Le Ewing-Givens notes that this retrospective exhibition honors the enduring legacy of the organization as a vital sanctuary for creative exchange and heritage preservation. Describing the exhibition which chronicles 40 years of art, impact and dedication, he continues, “through archival imagery, mixed media, fiber arts and immersive installation, we revisit the Collective’s meaningful impact and dynamic presence in the Houston cultural landscape. Ultimately, the space serves as a living sanctuary reflecting the invisible labor and sustained devotion of the intergenerational network of founders, local practitioners, and everyday culture-keepers who have continuously nurtured this ecosystem.” The exhibition opens the celebration of its milestone 40th anniversary leading up to FolkFest, a daylong event on February 27, 2027, which will take place on the Ion red lot city block (bounded by San Jacinto and Fannin and Cleburne and Wheeler) and will feature entertainment, food and art vendors and a visual history of The Collective’s years of activities. The exhibition, which continues through October 30, highlights The Collective’s four decades and addresses the future of the organization’s footprint. Visitors will learn when and why the organization was established and its impact on Houston’s art community and Black women artists in particular, its dedication to arts education for adults and youth and why the preservation of the cultural heritage of Houston’s Black community is important. In addition, the exhibit shows the impressive impact that The Collective has made on the economy of Houston neighborhoods and local artists, generating capital back to creators. Finally, this retrospective addresses the future sustainability of Black cultural institutions and how it will impact the next 40 years and those beyond. Admission to the exhibition is free. The Collective is open Thursday through Saturday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. Call 7113-523-1616 or visit www.thecollective.org. # # #
5601 B Navigation Blvd · 5601 B Navigation Blvd, Houston, 77011
NuestroWorld, created by Brooklyn-based artist Jesus Benavente, is an immersive, satirical exhibition that reimagines Houston as an amusement park. Beginning inside a visitor center filled with large-scale installations, neon sculptures, sound, banners, and limited-edition merchandise, the experience extends beyond the gallery through a free foldout guide featuring 13 destinations across Houston. Drawing on local history, folklore, and pop culture — from Astroworld and the Astrodome to Selena and the Battle of San Jacinto — NuestroWorld invites visitors to experience the city through a new lens, blending humor, nostalgia, and critical reflection into an interactive journey that evolves across the city. Opening Reception: August 13, 6 – 8 PM Gallery Hours: August 14 – September 12, Thu – Sat, 12 – 6 PM Closing Party: Sept 11, 6 – 8 PM For more information, visit: https://diverseworks.org/event/jesus-benavente-nuestroworld
Layered and Unbound: An Exploration of Mixed Media
Sawyer Yards · 2101 Winter St, Houston, TX 77007
Step into a two-hour guided creative experience designed to help you begin without pressure, follow your curiosity, and create without a predetermined outcome. Throughout the experience, you’ll move through four mixed-media stations, allowing one evolving piece to grow layer by layer. You’ll begin with fluid color and movement, build with acrylic and texture, add expressive marks, and finish by gathering elements that feel meaningful to you. There is no right way for your piece to unfold. You can cover something up, change direction, leave something unfinished, or follow an unexpected idea. This is process over perfection. Exploration over expectation. ✨ You don’t have to know where you’re going to create something meaningful. THE EXPERIENCE You’ll move through four guided creative stations: 💧 FLOW & BEGIN | Ink + Fluid Base Layer Start with movement. Explore inks, washes, water, and fluid color as you create the first layer of your piece without trying to control exactly where it goes. 🎨 BUILD & DEFINE | Acrylic + Stencil Exploration Add structure, shape, pattern, and contrast using acrylics, stencils, brushes, tools, and palette knives. Follow what emerged—or transform it completely. ✏️ MARK & EXPRESS | Mixed Mark Making Let your marks become your voice. Experiment with line, rhythm, repetition, texture, pencil, pen, marker, pastel, stamps, and other tools without needing to “draw” anything recognizable. ✂️ GATHER & TELL | Washi Tape, Stamps + Ephemera Finish by gathering pieces that draw you in. Layer paper, washi tape, stamps, textures, and ephemera to add detail, connection, and story to your evolving work. WHAT’S INCLUDED • Four guided mixed-media stations • All creative materials and tools • Prompts to help you explore without overthinking • Two-hour guided creative experience • Your completed mixed-media artwork to take home • A calm, welcoming space where no artistic experience is required You don’t have to make it perfect. You don’t even have to know what you’re making. Just begin—and see where the process takes you.
Houston Community College – Central Campus · 1300 Holman St, Houston, 77004
“The Haunting of Buffalo Bayou” is an original LGBTQIA+ horror comedy rooted in Houston folklore. The project includes a free public screening fof the conceptual trailer and a live reading of excerpts from the completed script, followed by a community Q&A about local legends, queer storytelling in horror, and the creative process behind the film.
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) · 5216 Montrose, Houston, TX 77006
Construct a miniature structure inspired by artist Beverly Buchanan’s sculptures memorializing the architectural styles of Southern homes and their owners in the exhibition, Divination: Beverly Buchanan & Dionne Lee.
Houston Public Library – Central (Jesse H. Jones) · 500 McKinney, Houston, TX 77002
Come by Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza, at Houston Public Library (Central Library) for a free outdoor screening of Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud’s family animated comedy film Despicable Me (2010). Presented in partnership with Houston Public Library, Villa Albertine’s annual outdoor film series Films on the Green returns to Houston from September 12 to October 9, 2026, showcasing French-American collaboration on the silver screen. About the film: In a vast secret lair that is hidden within a happy suburban neighborhood, the delightfully wicked Gru surrounded by an army of mischievous Minions is planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!). Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays and battle-ready land and air vehicles, Gru vanquishes all who stand in his way. That is, until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls and see something in him that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad. One of the world’s greatest super-villains has just met his greatest challenge: Margo, Edith and Agnes. This is a free event with RSVP and open to the public.
Catherine Couturier Gallery presents Henry Horenstein’s Miles and Miles of Texas. This series, published in an eponymous book in 2025 by Honky Tonk Editions, explores the people and culture of Texas through the eyes of Horenstein, a Bostonian fascinated with the Lone Star State from a young age. From the TV series Davy Crockett to balladeers like Marty Robbins, Texan culture has left an indelible mark, shining brightly in the imaginations of folks the world over. “Miles and Miles of Texas is a personal nod to Lone Star culture, history, landscape, and most of all the people I met along the way-“some of the friendliest people you’ll ever see” (“It’s a Texas Thing,” Gary P. Nunn). And while I nodded, I got to eat some tasty barbecue, listen to inspired music, hear some heartfelt and hilarious stories, and drink a lot of cold beer. Plus, I got to make pictures I like and put them down into this book.” – Henry Horenstein The exhibition will be accompanied by screenings of Horenstein’s short film Spoke, an homage to the rich culture of Texas dance halls. View the trailer here. Horenstein studied history at the University of Chicago and earned his BFA and MFA at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he studied with legends Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind. His work is collected and exhibited internationally and he has published over 40 books, including several monographs of his own work such as Miles and Miles of Texas, Honky Tonk, Histories, Show, Animalia, Humans, Racing Days, Close Relations, and many others. He has also authored Black & White Photography, Digital Photography, and Beyond Basic Photography, used by hundreds of thousands of college, university, high-school, and art school students as their introduction to photography.
BOX 13 ArtSpace is pleased to present four new exhibitions opening Friday, September 11 , 2026 6–9 PM. BOX 13 ArtSpace is pleased to present in the Front BOX gallery: “Cryptic Bodies,” an exhibition of four interdisciplinary Houston-based femme artists who work in sculpture, collage, zines, and socially engaged practices. As one excavates their layered work, bodies are revealed, both human, non-human, touching upon women’s health, fragmentary memories, and interconnected ecosystems and identities. The exhibit in the Back gallery features Chris Ireland’s “Dead Letter Office,” which explores home, memory, and placelessness through carefully constructed collages that combine fragments from lived experience, online archives, real estate listings, and personal photographs. For “Mother Earth Weaves Infinite” in the Box 13 Window BOX Gallery, Cathie Kayser and Ellen H Ray use a variety of materials and techniques, including fabrics, mulberry silks, soft sculpture, paper mache, and wire and paper sculptures to present an immersive experience that highlights the complexity of the mycorrhizal network. With this work, the artists invite viewers to consider the interconnectedness of all living systems. The Earth, and the universe encompassing it, is a master plan of intelligent design that holds lessons for us about systems that work. Moving to our Upstairs BOX gallery we are excited to introduce “Grip Strength: An Army of Lovers Shall Not Fail” by KT Abadir-Mullally. Through interactive soft sculptures and ceramics inspired by strength sports and queer activism, the exhibition invites visitors to engage with themes of queer resilience, desire, collective power, and resistance. The exhibitions continue through October 10, 2026. An Opening Reception will be held on Friday, September 11, 2026, 6–9 PM at BOX 13 ArtSpace, 6700 Harrisburg, Houston, TX 77011. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and Houston MOCA. Additional support is provided by The Brown Foundation, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Giant Texas Distillers, JP Morgan – Nancy O’Connor Fund, and all who help make our programming possible.
Redbud Arts Center · 303 East 11th Street, Houston, TX 77008
Redbud Arts Center is thrilled to present “Frequency”, a solo exhibition by acclaimed Houston artist Robert Leroy Hodge, opening Saturday, September 12, 2026, with a reception from 6–9 PM. The exhibition will remain on view through October 31, 2026. Born and raised in Houston’s historic Third Ward, Robert has developed a multidisciplinary practice deeply rooted in African American history, music, memory, and the cultural landscape of his hometown. His work draws upon the language of layering, cutting, reassembling, and transforming materials and imagery to create new relationships between past and present. In “Frequency”, Robert continues his exploration of the intersections between visual art and sound. Like musical frequency moving through space, the works resonate across histories, generations, and cultural references. Layers of imagery, material, rhythm, and memory become signals. Sometimes they are clear, sometimes fragmented, but in any case, they invite viewers to consider what is transmitted, preserved, reclaimed, and reinterpreted over time. Robert’s distinctive approach often incorporates reclaimed and found materials alongside imagery, text, lyrics, and references to African American musical and cultural icons. Cut, sewn, scorched, painted, and reconstructed, these elements become part of a visual vocabulary that reflects the complexity and resilience of Black American experience. Robert has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; The Station Museum; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; Centre Pompidou in Paris; and the Contemporary Museum of East Africa in Nairobi. He is a recipient of numerous awards, grants, and residencies, including a 2022 Artadia Award, a Joan Mitchell Foundation Artist Grant, and support from the Andy Warhol Foundation’s Idea Fund. With Frequency, Redbud Arts Center invites audiences to experience Robert’s work as both visual composition and cultural transmission. A space where art, music, history, and lived experience reverberate together.
Throughline Collective · 3909 Main St, Houston, TX 77002
Throughline is pleased to present “Imprinted Landscapes”, featuring new works by member artists Beatriz Bellorín and Sarah Sudhoff, on Saturday, September 12 at 3909 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. An opening reception will occur from 6 to 9 pm the same evening. Working across photography, moving image, and expanded photographic practices, Beatriz Bellorín and Sarah Sudhoff explore how landscapes become embedded within us, shaping emotional histories across time and experience. Both artists have backgrounds in observation and storytelling. Imprinted Landscapes marks a shared movement toward intuition, ambiguity, and embodied understanding. Rather than treating nature as a backdrop, their works consider it an active presence that holds emotional histories, reveals what matters most, and offers the possibility of transformation and renewal.
Silambam Houston · 2016 E Broadway St, Pearland, TX 77581
YUVA is a collaborative choreography and performance platform for young and talented Indian classical artists (dance and music), curated and presented by Silambam Houston. YUVA strives to catalyze collaboration and creativity among young upcoming artists in the Indian classical arts and to encourage them to ‘find their artistic voice’. YUVA Artists, selected from among a pool of applicants, collaborate to create new artistic works for presentation at the YUVA festival. YUVA 2026 features 8 talented emerging artists from across the country, and will take place on September 12, 2026. The eight artists of the 2026 cohort represent a range of Indian arts genres, including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Carnatic vocal and violin, and tabla. They have been working together for months to create a new collaborative work, titled Arishadvarga: Antaryuddham Abhinayavedyam The Battlefield of Inner Emotions – follows the journey of an unborn soul being introduced to the potent forces that govern human existence. Witness a multidisciplinary collaboration of live music and classical dance tracking the thin line between passion and delusion, anger and righteousness, greed and ruin. Ultimately, discover how these six shadow emotions can be balanced to unlock the peace within.
Restorations & Revivals: TAKE CARE OF MY CAT (고양이를 부탁해)
Museum of Fine Arts – Nancy & Rich Kinder Building · 1001 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77005
TAKE CARE OF MY CAT (고양이를 부탁해) Directed by Jeong Jae-eun (South Korea, 2001, 112 min., in Korean with English subtitles, 4K digital restoration) Friday–Saturday, September 11–12, 7:00 p.m. WYATTA sleeper hit in 2001, this perceptive debut chronicles the lives of five graduating friends (among them Bae Doona and Lee Yo-won in breakout roles) whose bonds fracture as they contend with unrealized dreams and unequal opportunities. Set in the port city of Incheon, the film tackles notions of class, solidarity, and privilege—in what is now a timeless snapshot of a rapidly evolving society. Suffused with the joys of girlhood, yet cleareyed about the uneasy transition into adulthood, Take Care of My Cat offers a tender portrait of young women at the turn of the new millennium.
Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas” · 2337 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005
The Cultural Center “Our Texas” will host Havana: Where the Past Meets the Future, a collaborative exhibition featuring Cuban-American artist Timoteo Domínguez Fuentes and Russian-American photographer Vladimir Frumin. This visual dialogue brings together painting and photography to explore themes of identity, memory, and resilience. Domínguez Fuentes’ paintings examine migration, cultural identity, spirituality, and social resilience through vibrant, emotionally charged figurative compositions. His work merges traditional artistic language with contemporary conceptual approaches, reflecting on collective memory and the enduring strength of communities facing displacement and change. His work has been exhibited at venues including the YMCA and World Refugee Houston, and his murals can be found in hotels, restaurants, and schools across Houston, Cancún, and Havana. In Cuba, he was recognized as a winner of the “Panchito Simón” Municipal Plastic Arts Competition. Vladimir Frumin’s photography complements these themes through stark, contemplative images of neglected urban spaces—such as deserted parks and abandoned buildings—as well as portraits of isolated individuals. His work captures the quiet dignity of those living on the margins of society. His photography has received international recognition, including the Sony World Photography Awards for Conceptual Art (2016) and Portraits (2023). His work was exhibited at Somerset House in London. In 2016, Frumin received the Carol Crow Fellowship Award at the Houston Center for Photography for the documentary “Everybody’s 5th Ward,” as well as Black & White Magazine’s Excellence Award (2011) and Spotlight Award (2014). Together, the artists create a compelling narrative of shared human experience, bridging cultural and geographic divides through empathy and visual storytelling. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM Saturday, Sunday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Wortham Theater Center – Brown Theater · 501 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002
The trio of ballets in this brilliant mixed repertory program, Pecos Bill, features George Balanchine’s Symphonie Concertante making its Houston premiere, pairing Mozart’s grand score with neoclassical elegance. Lar Lubovitch’s Meadow makes its Houston debut blending sculptural dance with a dream-like score that invites audiences to discover their own meaning within its breathtaking movements. Stanton Welch’s Pecos Bill brings playful choreography, Texan charm, and frontier spirit to this theatrical revival.
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church · 5501 Main Street, Houston, TX 77004
Gordon Education is excited to announce its 2026 Summer Film Camps, offering four immersive programs for young creatives aged 9 to 17. Each filmmaking camp focuses on a different genre: Historical, Changemakers, Documentary, and Narrative Fiction, allowing aspiring filmmakers to explore the art of cinema from multiple perspectives while developing their own voice. Narrative Fiction Filmmaking Camp | Ages 9 – 13 | 9 am – 3 pm July 13-17 at St. Paul’s School Young storytellers unleash their wildest creative visions in this story-driven filmmaking camp. Whether their movie is set in outer space or under the sea, campers have full artistic license to bring their unique ideas to the screen. Together, they will write, film, direct, and act in an original production, using the “Hero’s Journey” as a roadmap to learn the essentials of storytelling. Camp Leaders for the Time-Traveling Historical Camp are Dan Gordon and Bri Guerrero. Dan Gordon leads the Changemakers and Documentary Camps, and Bri Guerrero leads the Narrative Fiction Camp. Space is limited, and scholarships are available.
“The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure” at The Health Museum
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
An innovative new science exhibition on cancer is coming to Houston and will explore groundbreaking research, advanced medical technologies and promising new therapies. The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure will make its national premiere at The Health Museum on March 7, 2026, and be available until September 13, 2026. Designed for both adults and children, “The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure,” is a 5,000-square-foot exhibition full of multimedia experiences, thought-provoking science interactives, dynamic animations, stunning data visualizations and inspiring first-person videos to engage and empower visitors. The exhibition is presented by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, one of the world’s most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. It was produced in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. “Cancer affects us all, whether personally or through someone we love. But there has never been a moment like this in cancer care and research,” said Peter W.T. Pisters, M.D., president of MD Anderson. “Breakthroughs are happening at an unprecedented pace, unlocking a new understanding of the disease and powerful new therapies that will transform outcomes, both for patients and those who want to reduce their risk. This exhibition provides an incredible opportunity to educate, engage and empower people of all ages as we work together to end cancer.” The exhibition includes a chance to become a cancer detective, using cutting-edge tools to detect cancer in different parts of the body. Visitors also can play an engaging, interactive game that reveals how seemingly simple, everyday choices can help reduce cancer risk. In other interactive experiences, visitors can supercharge the superheroes of the immune system to stop rogue cancer cells. Exhibit-goers also can enter an immersive media experience to view a microscopic universe inside their bodies and explore ideas for future cancer detection, from liquid biopsies to cancer-sniffing dogs. Throughout the experience, visitors will hear stories from survivors and clinicians who reveal the personal challenges they go through each day, providing a unique window into the emotional realities of facing cancer. If visitors need a moment of calm, they can visit a soothing sound and light experience that spotlights the role of therapies like meditation and yoga in cancer care. John Arcidiacono, President and CEO of The Health Museum, added: “These ‘aha’ moments of discovery ignite curiosity and inspire hope, empowering and educating people of all ages. The exhibition threads the needle carefully, dispelling myths and increasing understanding, while acknowledging the emotional impact cancer has on people’s lives, including my own.” The Health Museum is also planning activities and events to further educate audiences about cancer breakthroughs and how to reduce risk throughout the exhibition tour. H-E-B is generously sponsoring the exhibition at The Health Museum. “The Journey to End Cancer” is touring science museums across the U.S. for approximately the next five years. For more information, please visit: https://thehealthmuseum.org.
Asia Society Texas Center · 1370 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX 77004
Nevine Mahmoud unearths uncanny worlds from stone: jumbo-sized fruits drip with glass, a contorted marble faun arcs like an acrobat, and children’s toys are immortalized in white alabaster. Mahmoud’s works are placed throughout Asia Society Texas’ public spaces, engaging in a material dialogue with the building and manipulating one’s understanding of nature.
The Health Museum’s The Fatherhood Effect Healing Arts Exhibition
The Health Museum · 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004
The Health Museum, an interactive health science museum located in the heart of the Houston Museum District, will debut their newest exhibition The Fatherhood Effect as part of the Healing Arts Program at a preview party on Friday, August 14, 2026, from 6-8 p.m. Six awards will be presented during the reception at 7 p.m. The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and will remain on display at The Health Museum until January 27, 2027. Through an open call for art, The Health Museum received powerful submissions of visual art that positioned fatherhood as a public health approach to healthier living. By elevating local stories and lived experiences, the exhibition invited reflection on how fatherhood has evolved over the past three decades—and how meaningful, engaged fatherhood contributes to healthier children, stronger families, and more connected communities. Through the arts and public health perspective, The Fatherhood Effect highlights fathers as present, nurturing, and deeply involved in caregiving. The exhibition challenges outdated stereotypes that define fathers solely as providers, and instead emphasizes care, emotional connection, and shared responsibility as essential elements of fatherhood. The artwork selection was juried by community leaders and fathers including Houston City Council Member District I Joaquin Martinez, Director of Harris County Boards and Commissions Daniel Santamaria, Director of Community Engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association Jorge Olvera, Founder and CEO of The Color of Coffee Collective Keith Hawkins, and Founder and Director of CoolxDad Kevin Barnett. Tickets for the exhibit preview reception on August 14, 2026, are available at 3586.blackbaudhosting.com/3586/Fatherhood-Effect-Preview-Reception and are $10 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. All tickets include live music, light bites, beverages, and free parking in the Museum’s surface lot. Doors open at 6pm and the awards will be announced at 7pm. The Healing Arts Program was launched in 2024 with a gallery opening for “Healing Hands: A Collection of Caregiver Expressions on Mental Wellness” and was created to explore the intersections of art, medicine, and culture, and provide the community with an outlet for processing experiences relating to physical and mental health. Through workshops, exhibitions, and community engagement, the program has increased the museum’s capacity for connection and healing in the Houston community. The Healing Arts Program focuses on connection, creativity, critical thinking, and compassionate dialogue, through a lens that healthier communities can be built through collaboration between individuals, educators, artists, and healthcare professionals.