Project Row Houses Turns 25
2018 marks a historic moment for Project Row Houses, our 25th Anniversary! We have much to celebrate during this milestone year and so much to look forward to as we begin our next 25 years.
Project Row Houses was founded with a mission to be the catalyst for the transformation of community through the celebration of art and African American history and culture. While the heart of this mission remains at the core of our work, Project Row Houses has always been adaptive and responsive to our ever-changing neighborhood. Our roots remain deeply planted in the Historic Third Ward community. As the community grows and changes, so do we.
We spent much of last year reflecting on our past, how we’ve grown over the years and how this historic community has grown around us, and thinking to our future. Over the past two decades, PRH has become an international model for artists and communities to address their needs for historic preservation and community enrichment. We are excited and proud to share with you our new mission statement:
WE EMPOWER PEOPLE AND ENRICH COMMUNITIES THROUGH ENGAGEMENT, ART, & DIRECT ACTION.
With the development of projects like Trans.Lation: Vickery Meadow in Dallas, TX, and Victoria Square Project in Athens, Greece, the PRH model is tested and active, empowering individuals and communities through collective creativity and establishing sustainable opportunities. This new mission will guide us as we establish the PRH model as something that can be shared with diverse communities at a global scale. Our work in the Third Ward and Houston remain the same. We work to support people and ideas of our community so that they may go on to do the same for others.
As we move forward, we hope you will join us as we celebrate our anniversary with events that highlight our history as well as that of the Third Ward and the culture of our shared community!
Thank you for your continued support.
With Gratitude,
Eureka Gilkey
Executive Director
25th Anniversary Activities
Athens Tour | April 26-30
Experience the PRH model on a global scale as we set off to Athens, Greece and visit the newly established Victoria Square Project. Guided by 2014 MacArthur Fellow and PRH Founding Director Rick Lowe, we’ll see how Athenian artists have applied the PRH model to a community of refugees in dire need of empowerment.
In Athens, we will tour Victoria Square, visit the studios of local artists, and participate in unique experiences and workshops that have developed through this social sculpture. Registration for this trip is priced at $2500 per person and includes lodging, meals, ground transportation, exclusive artist engagement opportunities and entrance to cultural institutions. Air travel is not included. Registration will increase to $3000 on March 1, 2018. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience!
To hold your space, you may make a nonrefundable deposit of $1000. Full payment must be made by Friday, March 23. For more information, contact McKenzie Watson at 713-526-7662 or by email, mwatson@projectrowhouses.org.
Sunday Tea with YMRP | May 6
Gather with us as we celebrate the women of our Young Mothers Residential Program. Don your hats and heels for an afternoon of fun, family, and treats!
Sign up here for Matriarch Tea announcements.
Founding Artist Tours | June 2, 9, 16, 23
Join us for a tour of public art created by the founding artists of PRH. Led by the PRH staff, this tour will feature discussions with the surviving founders as participants explore and reflect on their rich artistic practices.
Sign up here for Tour announcements.
Screenings with MFAH | July
PRH will collaborate with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to showcase filmmakers of color as we screen works that act as extensions of Black Life, explore various means of building community, and illustrate how art is subtly interweaved into everyday life.
Sign up here for Screening announcements.
DC Trip | August
Journey with PRH to the US capital for a special tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which houses a permanent display on Project Row Houses as well as work by founding artist Floyd Newsum.
Sign up here for DC Trip announcements.
Symposium | September 7-8
This thought-provoking symposium examines the intersection of art and community as well as the founding principles of Project Row Houses and the practices of socially engaged artists. Artists, curators, and organizers will come together to explore the issues that face contemporary art, the Third Ward and other, similarly marginalized communities.
Sign up here for Symposium announcements.
Round 48 Opening + Block Party | October 13
Round 48 will investigate the storied connection between artists and activism within contemporary art. In conjunction with the opening, we’ll be hosting a block party that spans our expansive site with fun games, great food, and amazing performances.
Sign up here for Opening + Block Party announcements.
25th Anniversary Gala | November 1
Join the Project Row Houses community of supporters as we close out the celebration of our 25th year! Table sponsorships and individual tickets will be available and will receive an early release of our 25th Anniversary Book!
Sign up here for Gala announcements.
