Update: Civic Art Contract

You may have seen two articles from Glasstire and Houston Landing about the recent cut to the civic art contract between HAA and the City of Houston. For two months, weekly council discussions took place about spending on the arts in light of budget challenges the city faces. 

But did you know the nonprofit arts generate $280,072,453 in City of Houston tax revenue? Not just on tickets, but on babysitting, food, parking - everything that folks buy because there are 15,597,775 attendees to nonprofit arts events each year. There’s $1,322,324,114 spent on the nonprofit arts each year. That’s Billion with a B. And that study doesn’t yet include everything accomplished by individual artists. 

With these figures, we know we’re a necessity - economically - for the City of Houston. Not a cost. 

 Let alone what we do for the vitality and vibrancy of our communities. 

Eventually, the contract passed - with a $10M cut. This cut, however, doesn’t technically cut the funding the city allocates to public art. Next up, we may see our elected officials taking a look at the ordinance that funds public art. Currently, 1.75% of some of the city’s capital projects goes to public art. Arts policy at the city is in discussion. More than ever, we are grateful to our smart, hardworking supporters at the city.