Art League of Houston

Exhibition programalh's exhibition program encompasses a diverse range of exhibitions, public Art projects, and an annual awards initiative. Alh presents exhibitions in 4 on-site galleries by local, regional, national, and international artists, both emerging and established, that cross into public and social spheres, incorporate ideas of social justice, and connect to current trends and dialogues in contemporary Art. To ensure strong artistic quality and projects that reflect Houston's rich cross-section of cultures, exhibits are carefully selected using a combination of 1) open call in an effort to be democratic; 2) artist advisory board input to ensure alh is reflective and relevant; and 3) focused curatorial vision to foster a thoughtful and critical exploration of current issues. Alh's public Art program is a community-driven, temporary public Art installation project designed to make artwork accessible to non-traditional Art audiences while creating new models for including the larger community in the art-making process. Since 1983, alh's annual awards program honors artists whose work has had a significant and positive impact on contemporary visual Art in Texas. The awards were established as a project documenting contemporary Texas Art history and serve to educate the Houston community about the significance of often under-recognized artists. The honorees are featured in solo exhibitions in the fall, and alh produces an exhibition catalog.

Community programs alh's community programs include the healing arts, artbound!, summer intensive for teens (sift), skillshare, and creative healing. Healing Art: the healing Art program provides high-quality Art instruction in a variety of media to adults 17 and older in the Houston community with chronic illnesses or physical disabilities in a fun, supportive, community-minded environment that also fosters artistic development. Guided by professional teaching artists in a well-equipped studio environment, participants engage in artistic expression and creative exploration, expanding their artistic skills and opening up new possibilities for self-expression. Artbound! : artbound! Benefits kindergarten through 8th grade youth, specifically those attending title 1 schools in hisd with limited or no visual arts instruction. The program is ongoing and takes place during the school year. Unique in its format, artbound! Establishes residencies in targeted schools and assigns its own trained teaching artists to work directly with school principals and teachers. Classroom teachers participate in the planning process to ensure that the residencies support and enhance their classroom curriculum. Sift: the sift program provides a three-month summer intensive to sixteen high school students ages 14-17. Led by established local and national artists and educators, the program offers a rigorous, in-depth studio Art experience featuring projects that go beyond techniques traditionally taught in high school Art classes, teaching students practical skills necessary to develop as artists. Creative healing: creative healing primarily benefits the staff members of Houston methodist hospital. The program recognizes the importance of supporting the hospital staff's well-being and acknowledges the therapeutic benefits of Art in fostering relaxation, self-expression, and emotional healing. Skillshare: the skillshare program provides free, open-format arts workshops to hisd educators that are experimental, fun, and focused on arts-integrated programming that can be shared with their students or brought into their Art practice. Led by experienced teaching artists and community cultural bearers, the programs aim to be an arts-focused community-building and restorative space for educators.

The Art League schoolthe mission of the alh school is to foster an artistic community where individuals can come together to learn, share their knowledge, and explore new ideas and techniques through the creative process. Through this exploration, students are encouraged to develop their own unique style, leading to personal and artistic growth that extends beyond the classroom. The goal is to instill a love for creativity that lasts a lifetime. Founded in 1968, the Art League school annually provides diverse educational opportunities to over 1,200 students. Studio Art classes and workshops, led by professional artists, occur both online and in three fully equipped studios encompassing painting, drawing, ceramics, watercolor, printmaking, mixed media, and jewelry. With a commitment to individualized attention and accommodating varying skill levels, class sizes are intentionally limited. Students benefit not only from the courses but also gain access to exhibitions, lectures, public programs, and artist talks throughout the year, enriching their artistic training. Flexible access: in may 2022, alh established "flexible access," a pay-what-you-can community-based Art course program for students aged 17 and up. This initiative allows individuals to determine their class payment based on their financial situation, promoting accessibility and inclusivity. By eliminating financial barriers, this model enables individuals with diverse income levels to engage in art-making classes and arts education.