Houston City Council Arts and Culture Committee Meeting - August 13, 2025

The Arts and Culture Committee of the Houston City Council met on August 13, 2025, to receive updates on the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, the Houston Airports Art Program, and the Houston film industry. Committee members heard presentations from city officials, arts organizations, and members of the public on topics including airport public art, grant programs, the upcoming Houston Media Conference, and the preservation of the historic Granada Theater.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Veronica Cabrera (Ronnie) – Public comment speaker and community arts advocate. She described establishing a community art center in the East Tex Jensen neighborhood (District H) using a $100,000 award from Kelly Clarkson and H-E-B, but was later pushed out due to rent increases. She urged the city to halt the demolition of the Granada Theater (9231 Jensen Drive, built 1949), stating that the community was not properly informed and that a survey showed residents want preservation. She requested a permit review and time to seek historic designation.
• Ruth Villetoro – Working producer and member of the Houston Association of Producers (new nonprofit). She introduced the organization, noting that producers are often the first contact for outside film projects. She emphasized the need for better infrastructure (e.g., edit suites) and called for breaking down silos in the Houston film community. She invited council members to the upcoming Happy Awards on August 20.
• Ann Lundy – Music director of the Community Music Center of Houston (District D). She described the center's purchase of a location at 3020 Holman and fundraising for renovations. The center teaches music to Black and brown children. She expressed appreciation for the committee's support of the arts.
• Linda Inoz – Local artist, entrepreneur, and founder of the Houston Arts Center. She proposed a community art center focused on teaching artistic trades (e.g., airbrush, silk screen) to provide income for artists. She noted that she was pushed out of her building due to electrical issues and requested a meeting to discuss her initiative.
• Ameichi Ugu – Programs manager at the Deluxe Theater (Fifth Ward). He described the theater's history (opened 1941, revived as a performing arts space) and recent partnership with Houston Cinema Arts Society and Rice University to install a state-of-the-art projector. He highlighted the success of the Crookland Cookout event and upcoming film series, and noted strong community turnout despite a rainstorm on July 25.
• Noe Moreno – Representative of Art and the Heart. He spoke in support of preserving the Granada Theater, describing it as a symbol of Hispanic culture and one of the first theaters in Houston to show Spanish films. He urged the committee to consider the cultural importance of the landmark.
• Carlos Espinoza – CGA Planning and Design. He stated he is working with East Tex Jensen community leaders to preserve the Granada Theater. He requested support from the council to expedite the historic preservation process, noting that the theater may be demolished within 30–60 days.
• Amy Goods – Managing director of ROCO Chamber Orchestra. She highlighted opportunities for local musicians under the new state film incentive program (SB 22), which extends to music recording for film, video games, and extended reality. She noted a lack of recording spaces for larger ensembles and expressed interest in the redevelopment of Greenspoint Mall as a potential site.
• Craig Hauschel – Executive director of the Theater District. He celebrated Houston Theater Week (August 2025), a buy-one-get-one-free ticket offer organized by 21 arts organizations under Houston First, and encouraged council members to promote it.

Discussion Items

• Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs and Houston Airports Art Program Update – Alton Delaney, Chief Curator, presented a detailed overview of the Houston Airports Art Program. He noted that the airport serves over 60 million passengers annually (about 1 million per week) and has been awarded the best airport art program in the world for three consecutive years by Skytrax. He described recent acquisitions and commissions, including a focus on Latin American and local Houston artists, a new artist-in-residence program (longest-running at any airport), live music seven days a week, and partnerships with cultural institutions like the Houston Botanic Garden and the Rodeo. He also reported on his transition to the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) two months prior, noting that MOCA has extended the Up Art Studios contract, paid all outstanding invoices to artists and curators, completed conservation projects, and issued $245,000 in grants (60 new grants) in round one. A job listing for an arts administrator received 286 applications, with one or two finalists pending approval. He also noted that the city hall exhibition space is being converted to a connector gallery.
• Recognition of Dr. Dorothy Caram – Chair Evan Shabazz recognized Dr. Dorothy Caram, a recently deceased advocate for Latina/o arts and culture. Michelle Liel Barra, Chair of the Houston Arts Alliance Board, offered brief remarks honoring her legacy, including her role in founding the Institute of Hispanic Culture and the Alma museum.
• Film and Media Presentations –
  • Alfred Cervantes, Executive Director of the Houston Film Commission, discussed the commission's role in marketing Houston as a production destination. He reported that film spending in the region had an economic impact of $81 million in the previous year. He highlighted the passage of SB 22, a state incentive program providing $300 million over 10 years ($150 million per biennium), which is expected to attract studio projects. He also promoted the upcoming Houston Media Conference.
  • Randy Ramsey (Executive Director, Southwest Alternate Media Project / Swamp) and Katie Kriegan Rios (Executive Director, Houston Cinema Arts Society) presented on the third annual Houston Media Conference (August 2025). They reported conference attendance growing from nearly 300 in 2023 to an anticipated 1,000+ in 2025. The conference will feature over 100 panelists, vendor booths (including national brands), and sessions on the new state incentive program and city resources. They emphasized the conference as a workforce development pipeline and urged the committee to recognize film as a legitimate art form. Councilmember Alcorn and other staff expressed support.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken during the meeting.
• The committee received updates on MOCA's progress: hiring of an arts administrator is in final stages; 60 new grants totaling $245,000 have been distributed; and multiple conservation projects are nearing completion.
• Staff from Councilmember Jackson's office noted that Councilmember Jackson is working to redevelop Greenspoint Mall into a film studio and lobbied for the state film incentive.
• Councilmember Alcorn requested that the Houston Film Commission provide a detailed breakdown of its marketing budget.
• Multiple public comments urged the city to halt the demolition of the Granada Theater; the committee referred speakers to Councilmember Castillo's office (District H) for follow-up.
• The meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:00 PM local time.