This month, the City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) has awarded funds totaling nearly $15 million through various arts and culture grant programs.
On February 11, MOCA announced that it has awarded $14,795,116 in grants to 102 individuals and 156 arts and culture nonprofits and fiscally-sponsored projects. These grants have been made through its Support for Organizations, Festival, and Support for Artists and Creative Individuals grant programs, which are administered by the Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) and funded by a portion of the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax.
The Orange Show. Photo: David Brown
Some of the institutions that received funding through the Support for Organizations grant are: Art League Houston, Asia Society Texas, DiverseWorks, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, Project Row Houses, the Rothko Chapel, and the Third Ward Cultural District. Recipients of the Festival grants include the Chinese Community Center, Houston Latino Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Houston, Sculpture Month Houston, and Zine Fest Houston. See the full list of grantees, including individual artists and creatives, via HAA’s website.
On February 14, MOCA announced awards totaling $131,600 through the City’s Initiative grant program, which supports projects promoting arts, tourism, and disaster resilience. Among the 13 individuals and nonprofits that received funding are the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, the Hispanic Alliance for Performing and Audiovisual Arts, and the Recipe for Success Foundation. The funded projects include performances, a Juneteenth living history event, art exhibitions, and community mural painting. Learn more about each of the projects via the MOCA website.
On February 18, MOCA announced that 40 individuals and nonprofits received grants totaling $100,000 through the organization’s Let Creativity Happen grants, which support projects amplifying artistic creativity and innovation.
In a press release, Necole S. Irvin, MOCA Director, stated, “Through this significant investment, we are not only sustaining but strengthening Houston’s dynamic arts community. These grants ensure that innovative programming, performances, and exhibitions will continue to enrich our city’s cultural and economic landscape in 2025 and beyond.”
