Project Row Houses (PRH) is celebrating its twentieth anniversary with a block party this Saturday from 11 am-7 pm. Okay, it will be more than a block and Saturday is just the launching of a yearlong celebration, but it will be a big party. PRH’s block parties are always a demonstration of the success of their mission: to be the catalyst for transforming community through the celebration of art and African-American history and culture. Attendees include a mix of artists, arts supporters, PRH residents, and enthusiastic Third Ward neighbors.
PRH began in 1993 as a result of discussions among African-American artists who wanted to establish a positive, creative presence in their own community. Spearheaded by artist/activist Rick Lowe, PRH has established programs that encompass arts and culture, neighborhood revitalization, low-income housing, education, historic preservation, and community service.
Saturday’s free festivities include music stages, food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities and games, and coincides with the opening reception for Round 39: Looking Back, Moving Forward. Ryan N. Dennis, PRH’s Public Art Director and curator of the round asked five artists to go through the PRH archive and use it as a springboard to create a site-specific installation based on their findings. Looking Back, Moving Forward will include the work of Houston-based artists Jamal Cyrus in collaboration with Ray Carrington III, Troy Gooden, Lovie Olivia, and New York based artists Valerie Piraino and Jessica Vaughn.
