The Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Arts Network and Fund announced a transformative investment of $6 million over the next three years. This significant funding initiative aims to empower and transform the future of artists, organizations, and communities of Greater Houston’s Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and other communities of color.
2023 Artist Awards
The announcement was made during our awards ceremony hosted at Stages in Houston, where 25 2023 BANF Artist Awards recipients were celebrated. Each deserving awardee was granted a remarkable $20,000. These funds carry no restrictions on usage, enabling recipients to support their artistic endeavors as they see fit. BANF will open applications for the second round of awards in Fall 2024 to provide continued opportunities for artists in our vibrant city.
Houston Cultural Treasures
Building upon the initial $2 million crisis relief support announced in January 2021, these initiatives are part of a broader effort to transform Houston’s arts scene. BANF is committed to championing the creative spirit and amplifying the voices of historically marginalized artists and organizations, ensuring their contributions are celebrated and valued.
The overarching strategy of BANF is centered on providing support and recognition for the remarkable history and achievements of Houston’s vibrant BIPOC art community while also empowering them for a promising future. Future investments will focus on arts education and an emerging cohort of Cultural Treasures. A key component of this vision involves establishing a dynamic network that fosters unity, amplifies collective power, and enables the BIPOC art community to shape its destiny.
The prestigious 2023 BIPOC Arts Network and Fund Artist Awards are made possible thanks to the invaluable support of esteemed organizations, including the Ford Foundation, Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation, The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Cullen Foundation, and The Powell Foundation.