Houston Arts Receive a $400,000 Investment to Strengthen the Local BIPOC Arts Ecosystem

At a critical time for public arts funding, the BIPOC Art Network and Fund took a new bold action by investing over $400,000 to support 16 local organizations through the 2024 Cultural Treasure Accelerator (CTA) initiative. This investment is part of BANF’s ongoing commitment to cultivate a thriving BIPOC arts ecosystem.

The 16 awardees were announced on Wednesday, October 30, during a private gathering at Talento Bilingüe de Houston in the heart of the East End District. The event spotlighted BANF’s ongoing contributions to the local arts community and a panel discussion that included Commissioner Lesley Briones, Precinct 4; Taylor Jackson, Director of Grants, Houston Arts Alliance; and Johnny Richardson, program manager for Green Mountain Energy, Sun Club.

Galveston Heritage Chorale

Islamic Arts Society

“This Accelerator initiative is the latest strategy to resource organizations dedicated to building a stronger arts ecosystem, especially one that celebrates Greater Houston’s diverse cultural histories. The year-long peer network experience will uplift their capacity to connect to audiences and community leaders and to catalyze asset-based, cross-sector resources that support each organization’s path to their self-defined future,” said Sixto Wagan, Executive Director of BANF.

Black Art Movement

Art in the Heart

The sixteen organizations selected are: Art in the Heart, Black Arts Movement (BAM), Dance Afrikana, Diaz Music Institute, Filipino Young Professionals of Houston, Galveston Heritage Chorale, Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy, Houston Latino Film Festival, Islamic Arts Society, Jazz Houston, SAID Institute, Segundo Barrio Children’s Chorus, Social Movement Contemporary Dance Theater, Texas Salsa Congress , The Nigerian-American Multicultural Council (“NAMC”), and Write About Now Poetry.

Write About Now Poetry

Texas Salsa Congress

“The Cultural Treasure Accelerator awardees are an exciting group of arts leaders and culture bearers that identified a need in their community and developed strategies and programming to best serve their constituents,” said Carris Adams, Director at Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Each of these organizations will receive a total of $25,000 in grant funding, along with a 12-month peer network experience aimed at building resilience and long-term stability. BANF’s investment will empower these groups to pursue their unique visions while fostering a network of support within the community.

Since its inception, BANF has channeled more than $10 million into Greater Houston’s BIPOC organizations, individual artists, and culture bearers through initiatives like the Houston Cultural Treasures program, Artist Awards, and Crisis Relief Grants.