The Houston Arts Alliance, the city’s nonprofit arts partner, has been awarded a $130 million contract, the largest in its history. This contract will allow the alliance to continue administering grants and cultural programs on behalf of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
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The state allows cities to spend up to 19.3% of hotel occupancy tax revenues to support the arts, promote tourism, and advance the convention and hotel industry. Although $130 million is approved, the alliance does not have to spend the full amount, and it is dependent on how much of the hotel tax is brought in, city officials said.
Council member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, chair of the Arts and Culture Committee, said the contract will benefit the arts community, especially in the years after the pandemic, when there were funding challenges for the arts. She also said it is the highest agreement made with the HAA. “Houston’s arts are not extra; they are part of who we are,” Evans-Shabazz said. “They drive tourism, support jobs, strengthen our neighborhoods, tell our stories, and help make Houston a world-class city.”
The contract will begin January 1, 2027.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Heights / River Oaks / Montrose — read the source article.
