Major acquisition of Indian textiles to be highlighted at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Floorspread [detail], India, probably Gujarat, 19th century, cotton, block-printed, the Banoo and Jeevak Parpia Collection

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston recently acquired 187 Indian textiles from Ithaca, New York-based collectors Banoo and Jeevak Parpia, whose private collection, assembled over the course of more than 40 years, is considered one of the most significant of its kind globally.

The exhibition From India to the World: Textiles from the Parpia Collection will display 67 pieces from this major acquisition, featuring both trade and domestic Indian textiles produced between the 17th and the early 20th centuries. It opens June 22 and will be on view through September 14, 2025 at the MFAH.

A “pivotal addition,” these newly acquired textiles mark a milestone for the MFAH, which becomes an institution that holds one of the top public Indian textile collections outside of India, according to Gary Tinterow, director and Margaret Alkek Williams chair of the MFAH.

Bed Cover (Colcha) [detail], Satgaon, West Bengal, India, for the Portuguese market, early 17th century, cotton, embroidered with tasar silk threads; added European fringe, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Banoo and Jeevak Parpia Collection, museum purchase funded by the Alfred C. Glassell Jr. Accessions Endowment

According to a press release, the exhibition will highlight “the distinctions between fabrics made for the India market and those produced for export to Southeast Asia and to Europe; their striking differences in color, pattern and format attest to the versatility with which Indian textile artists adapted designs to different markets.”

Pieces range from woven silks and muslins, embroideries, tie-dyes and ikats, and block-printed cottons for the home market; to chintzes made for export to Britain and The Netherlands; to a quilt embroidered with Biblical and classical scenes that was traded to Portugal.

“The Parpias’ focus on singular works exemplifying traditional forms and techniques offers a comprehensive view of Indian textile history,” Tinterow said in a statement.

Previously, the Parpias had loaned textiles to the MFAH for the exhibition, Woven Wonders: Indian Textiles from the Parpia Collection, presented in 2023.

Chintz Panel, Coromandel Coast, India, for the European market, c. 1730–50, cotton, hand-drawn, resist-dyed, and mordant-dyed, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Banoo and Jeevak Parpia Collection, museum purchase funded by the Alfred C. Glassell Jr. Accessions Endowment

Downtown Houston will feature a new art installation celebrating Indigenous culture

An artist rendition of the installation Weci | Koninut, opening June 26, 2025 at Houston’s Avenida Plaza / Courtesy of Houston First, Creos, and Init

Houston First recently announced plans to unveil a World Premiere art installation, Weci | Koninut, on Avenida Plaza this summer.

Designed as an immersive outdoor experience combining visual arts, storytelling, and sensory technologies, Weci | Koninut was conceived by First Nations artists Julie-Christina Picher and Dave Jenniss, and created in collaboration with Quebec companies Creos and Init, as well as with Houston First. It will be installed on June 25, and then open to the public from June 26 through September 1, free of charge.

“Featuring larger-than-life dreamcatchers and an immersive sound and visual environment, the work transforms the city into a dreamlike forest, creating a living dialogue between ancestral territories, dreams, and Native art,” according to a press release.

Inspired by Notcimik, a sacred territory of the Atikamekw people, the interactive installation will contain six structures that guide visitors through the six seasons of Aikamekw culture, from Pitcipipon (pre-winter) to Takwakin (autumn). The luminous sculptures are activated as the public walks by.

Organizers say that Weci | Koninut invites viewers “to slow down, feel, listen, and dream” and aims to raise “essential questions about our relationship with the environment, our collective memory, and our diverse identities.”

Houston is the first stop along the artwork’s international tour, marking efforts to promote contemporary Indigenous art on a global scale—and to showcase Houston as a global destination for culture and innovation, according Michael Heckman, president and CEO of Houston First Corporation.

“This unique installation offers our community an exciting immersion into the richness of Native traditions and celebrates the importance of art in building bridges between peoples,” said Heckman in a statement.

Houston Grand Opera launches its own recording label and new partnership with London Symphony Orchestra

Soprano Janai Brugger in Houston Grand Opera’s Intelligence / Photo credit: Michael Bishop

Houston Grand Opera has announced plans to release recordings on its own, newly created label, in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra’s label LSO Live.

According to a press release, “HGO sought out a partnership with the LSO to fulfill the company’s ambitious vision of sharing its work with audiences around the world.” HGO says that this collaboration, LSO Live’s first-ever with a U.S. opera company, represents a significant opportunity to advance operas by American composers on a broader international scene.

“For decades, HGO has led the way in building the American repertoire through new commissions from the country’s finest composers,” said Khori Dastoor, HGO General Director and CEO, in a statement.

“We founded the new Houston Grand Opera label because we want more people to experience these incredible artworks, performed by the brilliant artists and musicians who grace our stage each season. With its award-winning label and rich legacy of inspiring global audiences, the London Symphony Orchestra is the ideal partner to help bring Houston’s operatic innovation to the world,” Dastoor said.

Set for an August 2025 release, Intelligence, by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, will be the first album in the new collaboration between Houston Grand Opera and LSO Live— featuring soprano Janai Brugger, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, baritone Michael Mayes, and the HGO Orchestra conducted by Kwamé Ryan.

Intelligence, which was commissioned by HGO and which made its World Premiere in 2023, is inspired by the true story of Mary Jane Bowser, an enslaved woman who became a spy for the Union during the American Civil War, and Elizabeth Van Lew, a member of the Confederate family who enslaved Bowser and who ran the spy ring.

Other forthcoming albums include:

  • Breaking the Waves, by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek, captured during HGO’s spring 2025 regional premiere
  • El Milagro del Recuerdo, the HGO-commissioned mariachi opera by composer Javier Martínez and librettist Leonard Foglia, recorded during its 2019 world premiere
  • Florencia en el Amazonas, by composer Daniel Catán and librettist Marcela Fuentes-Berain, commissioned by HGO in 1996 and inspired by the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez, in a recording from the company’s 2019 revival starring soprano Ana María Martínez

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Houston Grand Opera on their new record label,” said Becky Lees, LSO Live Director, in a statement.

“LSO Live is committed to supporting arts organizations around the world in delivering high-quality content to music enthusiasts internationally, and this partnership aligns perfectly with our mission,” Lees said. “We look forward to working closely with HGO to preserve and celebrate the rich tradition of opera for future generations.” 

Intelligence and Breaking the Waves will be released in both physical and digital formats. Florencia en el Amazonas and El Milagro del Recuerdo will be available via streaming and download platforms, including Apple Music Classical, Amazon, and Spotify. 

Theatre Under The Stars, Alley Theatre announce open auditions

L-R: The Hobby Center (home to Theatre Under The Stars) and the Alley Theatre / courtesy of the companies’ websites

Two of Houston’s leading producers of live theater have announced open calls for actors to audition for their 2025-26 seasons.

Theatre Under The Stars, Houston’s non-profit home of musical theater based at The Hobby Center, is seeking strong singers, dancers, and principals for four of its self-produced musicals of the upcoming season: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Million Dollar Quartet, and Beautiful: The Carole King Story.

“This season our casts, along with our audiences, are getting a lineup of productions that invite them to explore varying worlds—some fiction and some based on real events—and to be part of stories that shape all of us,” said Dan Knechtges, Artistic Director of Theatre Under The Stars, in a statement.

In-person auditions will take place at TUTS on Thursday, March 27; Friday, March 28; and Saturday, March 29. Virtual audition opportunities are available by submitting a self-tape to TUTS. Virtual auditions must be submitted no later than March 30.

Audition requirements—including character descriptions, song preparation, dance information, what to bring to auditions, as well appointment and virtual audition submission instructions—are available at TUTS.org/Auditions.

“TUTS is committed to diversity and encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, ages, and abilities to audition. As a leader in Houston’s vibrant arts community, we welcome both local and national talent to be part of our high-caliber productions. Must be 18 years old by the first day of rehearsal,” said the company in a statement.

***

Alley Theatre, one of the largest U.S. professional nonprofit theatres outside of New York City, has announced that it is “seeking a diverse cast of Houston talent of all genders, ethnicities, body types, and abilities” for next season.

Auditions will be held by appointment only on Sunday, March 16 and Monday, March 17 at The Alley. Starting February 27, appointments can be made by emailing contact information (name, phone number, and indicate whether you are a member of the Actors’ Equity Association) to auditions@alleytheatre.org.

The Alley will be casting for roles in its 2025-26 season productions, including: Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d, The Da Vinci Code (adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel, based on the Novel by Dan Brown), The Body Snatcher by Katie Forgette, Real Women Have Curves by Josefina López, English by Sanaz Toossi, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, August Wilson’s Fences, and Dear Alien by Liz Duffy Adams.

The company states that actors should prepare two contrasting monologues that are not to exceed three minutes in length total. All actors auditioning must be at least 18 years old, must live within a 50-mile radius of downtown Houston, and must be available for weekday and weekend rehearsals.

Information on specific roles being cast can be found at alleytheatre.org/auditions.

Additionally, the company is accepting Stage Manager applications for next season.

Urban Souls Dance celebrates 20th anniversary, prepares to launch Black Arts Movement Houston

Urban Souls Dance Company / courtesy of the company’s Facebook page

Inspired by Prairie View A&M’s Classic Dance Ensemble, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and New York’s Alvin Ailey School—where he studied for two years—dancer, choreographer, and activist Harrison Guy eventually came back to Houston to start his own company dedicated to Black stories and experiences.

“I was a founding member of two dance companies in Houston—Dorrell Martin’s Dance Fusion and Kenneth Epting’s Exclamation Dance Company. Yet I still felt called to create something of my own,” Guy wrote recently on Facebook.

Urban Souls was founded as a safe space for Black dancers and a platform dedicated to telling Black stories—especially those rooted in the local Houston community,” he shared. “It’s a place where our narratives are celebrated, and where dancers have the freedom to explore and express their unique identities.”

With Guy as Artistic Director and Walter J. Hull, II as Executive Director, Urban Souls has been working for two decades to bridge the gap between life and dance theater—with a mission to foster connection and build community through dance, education, and advocacy while working towards racial equity, healing, and justice.

The company’s 20th anniversary celebration culminates with The Black Agenda, a program featuring two world premieres on February 27 and 28 at The Hobby Center—with the opening night performance designated as Black Organization Night to honor historic, community, and Black Greek-letter organizations.

Urban Souls Dance Company presents its 20th anniversary show, The Black Agenda, February 27-28, 8pm, at The Hobby Center / Courtesy of Urban Souls

Guy will debut Eulogy for America’s Promise (2025), his new dance work that pays tribute to the pioneering Houston-born and Fifth Ward-raised Congresswoman Barbara Jordan.

According to a press release, the piece “will blend classical, modern, and African American dance styles to represent the complexity of Jordan’s legacy. The work will use movement to reflect key moments in Jordan’s life, including her iconic speech at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, her leadership during the Watergate hearings, and her tireless advocacy for civil rights.”

A preview of Harrison Guy’s Eulogy for America’s Promise / courtesy of Urban Souls

The program’s second premiere and title piece, The Black Agenda, by Walter J. Hull, II, “reflects the ongoing journey of the Black community—one marked by resilience, unity, and a continual drive for progress,” said Guy.

Intertwined with the voices and music of contemporary artists like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, the piece aims to use the lyrics and beats of the soundtrack to amplify the emotions and energy of the dancers’ movements.

“This work speaks to the collective power of Black people, grounded in the understanding that we are strongest when we unite, when we confront the challenges of today, and when we forge a future built on both vision and action,” Guy said of Hull’s piece. “Through movement, we assert the necessity of this journey, reminding ourselves that hope is only meaningful when it is paired with intentional, deliberate steps toward a better tomorrow.”

Completing the program will be Hull’s Sugar Shack (2024), inspired by the paintings of Ernie Barnes; Shadow Work (2023), an exploration of our hidden identities, by Urban Souls’ dancer and choreographer Aniya Wingate; and D.N.A. (2024), a tribute to Reverend Jack Yates and Houston’s first documented Juneteenth celebration, performed by guest artist YUNGCHRIS of SonKiss’d Dance Concepts.

Beyond his company’s 20th anniversary celebration, Guy has even bigger, long-term plans that are about to come into fruition.

“About 10 years ago, after the success of Urban Souls, I began to dream a bigger vision for Houston. I wanted to create a space that wasn’t just about dance, but about Blackness—where creativity could be celebrated as an integral part of our journey and the way we build community,” said Guy on Facebook. “This led to the creation of the Black Arts Movement Houston (BAM).”

With support from a 2019 Idea Fund grant and a 2025 Cultural Treasure Accelerator grant from the Houston BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF), Guy was able to develop his concept into a new umbrella organization that will serve as “a cultural catalyst and a sanctuary for Black artists in Houston,” according to the BANF website.

“We envision a future where BAM serves as the parent organization for Urban Souls and other key arts organizations and groups,” said Guy. “It will also serve as a catalyst for the development of a dynamic, state-of-the-art Black cultural center. This space will drive a comprehensive Black arts directory, highlighting all aspects of Black arts and culture in the city.”

In an email to Houston Arts Journal, Guy stated that BAM’s key initiatives for 2025 include:

  • Conducting a Black Artists Survey and Census to collect valuable data and insights.
  • Organizing Convenings for Black Artists to foster connection, collaboration, and growth.
  • Finalizing the Advisory Group, selecting dedicated members to guide the movement.
  • Completing a Strategic Plan to lay the foundation for future initiatives and impact.
  • Hosting a Foundations Brunch to engage potential funders and build lasting support for the mission.

Black Arts Movement Houston, spearheaded by Guy and Urban Souls, is preparing for an official launch this April 2025.

Meta4 Houston wins national youth poetry slam for the second year in a row

Meta-Four Houston 2024: (L-R) Adriana Winkelmayer, Cristina Perez-Ruiz, Amaya Newsome,
Samiyah Green, Mya Skelton, Bela Kalra / Photo Credit: Alinda Mac

Houston’s youth poetry team, Meta4 Houston, was named champion of the 2024 Brave New Voices International Poetry Slam, held July 17-20, 2024 in Washington D.C.

Sixteen youth teams from around the world competed in this year’s semi-finals. Meta4 Houston made the Top Four—along with teams from Orlando (Exodus United), Nashville (Southern Word), and Baltimore (Dew More)—advancing to the Final Stage and winning the competition on July 20.

This marks the second consecutive year that Houston has taken the title as top youth poetry team in the country, following the team’s historic 2023 win and Top Ten performances in past years.

Founded in 2007, Meta4 Houston is a program of the literary arts education nonprofit Writers in the Schools (WITS). Six teen poets are selected each year through competition at the annual Space City Grand Slam.

This year’s Meta4 Houston team includes four new members and two returning members: Bela Kalra (High School for the Performing and Visual Arts), Amaya Newsome (Humble High School), Cristina Perez-Ruiz (High School for the Performing and Visual Arts), Mya Skelton (Humble High School), and returning teammates Samiyah Green (High School for the Performing and Visual Arts) and Adriana Winkelmayer (Emery/Weiner Jewish School).

Considered one of largest, long-running youth slam festivals in the world, Brave New Voices aims to encourage and amplify youth voices by connecting poetry, spoken word, youth development, and civic engagement.

“We are proud to be two-time champions of Brave New Voices, spreading youth expression and literacy through poetry slam,” stated Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean, former Houston Poet Laureate and Meta4 Houston head coach, in an email.

Bean and Alinda “Adam” Mac, Assistant Coach and Meta4 Houston alum, mentored the team, as they wrote, choreographed, and rehearsed a collection of poems inspired by their experiences living in Houston. At Brave New Voices, the 2024 Meta4 Houston team performed original poems “on difficult topics including Texas climate change, gun violence, fast fashion, the human condition, and how the best role model is one willing to make change,” according to WITS.

On social media, Bean shared photos that documented the final days of preparation leading up to winning the competition:

“We’re ecstatic for the Meta4 Houston Fellows. These powerful young artists have been hard at work honing their craft for months and are deserving of this great win,” said Giuseppe Taurino, WITS Executive Director, in a statement.

“Their dedication to exploring, investigating, and genuinely interacting with the world around them is inspiring,” said Taurino.

Houston is home to an active slam poetry scene, which includes both youth and adults. Earlier this summer, Smoke Slam—featuring Houston Poet Laureate Aris Kian Brown, LeChell “The Shootah,” R.J. Wright, Blacqwildflowr, and Sherrika Mitchell, coached by Ebony Stewart—also brought home a national title, taking first place at the 2024 Southern Fried Poetry Slam in Pompano Beach, Florida in June.

Public Poetry, Houston Early Music announce new leadership

L-R: Võ Đức Quang is the new Interim Executive Director of Public Poetry, and Jesús Pacheco is the new Executive and Artistic Director of Houston Early Music / Courtesy of Public Poetry and Houston Early Music

The Houston literary nonprofit, Public Poetry, recently named poet, host, and community leader, Võ Đức Quang as its Interim Executive Director, effective immediately.

Founded in 2011, Public Poetry has expanded its programs over the years to include a free monthly Reading Series in partnership with the City of Houston/Houston Public Library, the annual REELpoetry International Film Festival, poetry contests, and publications.

Public Poetry showcases the enduring power of poetry, conveying poetry’s range, relevance and reach throughout the year. Working locally, nationally and internationally, we sustain diverse minority voices, layer multiple genres, encourage collaboration, commission new work, and create new opportunities and paid work for poets. We initiate collaborative partnerships and engagement to enrich the community and to deliver poetry to audiences in Houston and beyond.

– Public Poetry Mission Statement

“My goal is to continue Public Poetry’s outreach to artists, and showcase talents to audiences in Houston and beyond,” said Võ in a statement.

Võ succeeds Founding Director Fran Sanders, who announced her intention to step down last summer and will now concentrate her time on the REELpoetry film festival.

Since November 2022, Võ has managed and hosted Public Poetry’s monthly Reading Series and Open Mic—a role that he will continue to be involved in as Interim Executive Director.

Considered the organization’s flagship program, the Reading Series transitioned from an in-person only series to a hybrid online/in-person series following the COVID-19 shutdown. Võ will work to maintain the hybrid model, which he said has attracted a larger audience outside of Houston and across the United States.

“Public Poetry should make use of our strengths to showcase poets beyond Houston, give young emerging poets a venue to hone their craft, and bridge different forms of poetry,” said Võ in an email to Houston Arts Journal. “As of now I am still managing the series, which is my passion, though I have considered having guest hosts to keep the program lively.”

Võ told Houston Arts Journal that he also aims to achieve proposed financial and organizational goals over the course of the next year in order to bring Public Poetry “up-to-date.”

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Houston Early Music recently appointed internationally-renowned Houston percussionist and music educator Jesús Pacheco as its new Executive and Artistic Director.

“Having performed with all the major early music groups in Houston, Jesús brings a uniquely qualified perspective and passion for this genre. In addition, being a native of Spain, Jesús has an intense appreciation for the importance of highlighting various international expressions of early music to appeal to the diverse Houston audiences,” said Houston Early Music in a social media post on July 15.

A graduate of the Seville Conservatory in Spain, Pacheco has performed with international ensembles such as the Royal Symphonic Orchestra of Sevilla, the Cordoba Symphony Orchestra, and the Bach Collegium-Stuttgart Bachakademie.

He has collaborated widely with Houston ensembles, including Apollo Chamber Players, Ars Lyrica Houston, Bach Society Houston, The Houston Brass Band, Houston Grand Opera, The Magnolia City Brass Band, Mercury Houston, Octave Illusion, and others.

Along with mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte, Pacheco is the co-founder and co-director of Arte Puro, an organization “with the mission to bring Hispanic music and art to the stage through musical fusion and artistic collaboration.” He also teaches at The Awty International School.

“Jesús is a versatile percussionist who thrives in the culturally varied music scene of Houston, where he performs styles ranging from early and classical music to contemporary styles such as musical theatre, Latin music, and flamenco,” said Houston Early Music in a statement.

“[We are] most fortunate to have him serve in this dual role [of Executive and Artistic Director] and we are excited and anxious to see his skills unfold in the curation of our future seasons,” stated the organization.

Pacheco succeeds Julia Simpson in the role.

Initially formed in 1965 as the Houston Harpsichord Society, Houston Early Music “presents historically informed performances of music from the Medieval through Classical periods by internationally-recognized artists” through an annual season of concerts and programs.

Full Disclosure: Houston Arts Journal’s Catherine Lu was featured as an independent poet on Public Poetry’s Reading Series in June 2024.

MFAH and ALMAAHH invite Latinx artists to submit proposals for the 2024 Fall Festival

Sculptures by artist Hugo Pérez commissioned by MFAH and ALMAAHH for the 2023 Fall Festival. Inspired by the story of his family’s rescued Chihauhau, Hugo created the work to bring attention to the homeless dog situation in Houston. His color palette is inspired by the use of indigo in El Salvador / Courtesy of www.hugoperezart.com

Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and Visual Arts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County (ALMAAHH) and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) have announced that they are collaborating in a call for artist proposals for their 2024 Fall Festival.

Six Houston Latinx artists will be selected to create large-scale, temporary sculptures to be on view in the MFAH’s Cullen Sculpture Garden during the Fall Festival scheduled for November 10 – 17, 2024.

Now in its third year, the Fall Festival “celebrates the Museum’s commitment to Latin American and Latino art, and art of the Indigenous Americas,” as stated by the MFAH. Last year’s festival featured sculptures by six artists highlighting the theme Dream with Alebrijes, as well as live music, dance, and art-making activities for families.

The theme of the 2024 Fall Festival is Myths and Leyendas.

Myths and Leyendas is a connective tissue throughout Latin America in the sense that every country, region has their own legends/myths/folklore. These stories travel with people, are passed down from generation to generation and continue to evolve throughout the Latinx diaspora. For example, El Salvador has the folklore of El Cadejo, a dog-like creature which can appear in as a white dog (for protection) or as a black dog (bad omen). La Llorona, the infamous mythology of a woman based in colonial times in Mexico. La Tunda, a jungle shapeshifter from the Pacific coast of Colombia/Ecuador of the Afro-Colombian community. Los Duendes, gnome-like creatures which go by different names throughout Latin
America (Tata Duende in Creole communities in Belize, Alux in Mayan beliefs throughout Yucatan Peninsula and Guatemala). This theme empowers the artists to bring their own cultural background in the creation of the sculpture and educate others through their work.

– Press release from ALMAAHH and MFAH

Latinx artists who live and work in Houston are eligible to apply, and there is no application fee.

Proposed sculptures should be visible from the street, weather-resistant to outdoor conditions, and inspired by myths and folklore of Latin America.

A stipend of $5,000 will be provided to each artist to cover labor, materials, and transportation of the artwork.

More information and a link to the application can be found here. The deadline to apply is August 5, 2024.

Houston Symphony continues concerts at Miller Outdoor Theatre following Hurricane Beryl

The Houston Symphony at Miller Outdoor Theatre in 2022 / Photo by Melissa Taylor

The Houston Symphony has announced that it will perform its scheduled concerts this weekend, with no disruption to its 2024 Summer Symphony Nights at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

“Thanks to the tireless work of Houston First and the staff of Miller Outdoor Theatre in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, the Houston Symphony’s free performances at its Summer home, Miller Outdoor Theatre, this weekend and next will go on as planned,” stated the organization in a press release.

According to its Facebook page, Miller Outdoor Theatre did not experience any damage from Hurricane Beryl, “except for a few downed trees,” and the orchestra was able to rehearse at the venue this past Wednesday.

Now in its 83rd year, the Summer Symphony Nights at Miller Outdoor Theatre series is a local tradition of free family-friendly concerts, often introducing audiences to acclaimed, rising conductors and soloists making their Houston Symphony debuts.

This summer, the series kicked off on July 4th with Houston Symphony’s annual Star-Spangled Salute concert. On July 8th, Hurricane Beryl made landfall along the Texas coast, impacting the Greater Houston region and leaving more than 2.2 million Houston-area residents without power at its peak outage. As of Friday morning, roughly 870,000 CenterPoint Energy customers are still without electricity.

The Houston Symphony’s remaining summer concerts will continue as scheduled on Friday, July 12 (American Masterworks), Saturday, July 13 (Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5), Friday, July 19 (Enigma Variations), and Saturday, July 20 (Haydn & Dvorak).

These free performances begin at 8:30pm at Miller Outdoor Theatre, with open seating available on the hill and reserved, covered seats available under the pavilion. Free tickets for covered seats can be reserved online and are also released an hour before the performance at the box office.

Miller Outdoor Theatre stated that it hopes that these free concerts will offer Houstonians some relief from a difficult week: “We’ve all been through a lot in the last few days … So, no matter your situation, know that you are more than welcome for some incredible respite here at Miller – for FREE!”

Jones Hall, the orchestra’s home during its regular season, also did not sustain any major damage during the hurricane, according to Houston First, the corporation that manages more than 10 city-owned facilities. Houston First further confirmed that none of its venues, including those in the Theatre District, experienced any significant impact from the storm.

Asia Society Texas offers free admission—and A/C—through Sunday following Hurricane Beryl

The Gateway to Asia activation in Asia Society Texas’ new permanent ‘Explore Asia’ educational exhibition. Photo by Chris Dunn / Courtesy of Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas Center has announced that it is waiving admission this week through Sunday as an “escape” for Houstonians dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which struck the Greater Houston region on Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.

“We sincerely hope you are well after Hurricane Beryl, and our hearts go out to everybody in the Houston area,” stated the organization on social media and in an email. “We welcome you to visit and escape the heat at no cost through Sunday, July 14. Enjoy our exhibitions and A/C for free!”

The Center, which did not sustain any damage during the storm, is fully air-conditioned, offering the public relief from the summer heat. As of midday Thursday, more than 1 million Houston-area residents remained without electricity due to power outages following Beryl.

The free admission through Sunday includes access to Explore Asia, an immersive $4.6 million exhibition that just opened a year ago; Relatum — signal, a site-specific sculpture by Korean artist Lee Ufan; and Xu Bing: Word Alchemy, featuring more than 50 woodcut prints, videos, drawings, installations, and other works by contemporary Chinese artist Xu Bing (b. 1955).

“This is the last week of the Xu Bing exhibition as well, so we’re hoping we can be of service to the community, and they get a chance to see the art before it goes back to China,” said Stephanie Todd Wong, Vice President of Communications and External Affairs, at Asia Society Texas Center.

Information on hours, parking, and accessibility can be found here.

Tickets for Asia Society Texas Center typically range from $5-$15, with members and children ages 6 and under always free, according to its website.