Applications Now Open Through October 30
Houston, TX – The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts looks to showcase bold performances rooted in Houston’s stories, culture, and creative spirit through its Houston Is Inspired series. Artists and arts organizations across Houston are encouraged to apply to be featured as part of the 2027–28 Houston Is Inspired season. Applications are officially open now through October 30, 2026.
Launched in 2023-24, Houston is Inspired is a signature Hobby Center initiative that celebrates and amplifies the work of local artists and organizations through week-long residencies, offering access to the Hobby Center’s premier spaces, professional production support, and marketing resources.
The first two seasons featured curated partnerships. With the introduction of an open application process for the third season, the Hobby Center took another meaningful step toward creating equitable access to Hobby Center partnerships and representing the full scope of Houston’s arts community. With 53 applicants in 2025-26, the Hobby Center saw nearly a 50 percent increase in applications, growing to 73 for 2026-27.
“The Houston Is Inspired initiative has become an integral part of the Hobby Center, showcasing the remarkable creativity and artistic diversity that make Houston such a vibrant cultural city. Each open call is a powerful reminder of the breadth of talent that exists across our community and the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for artists and arts organizations to flourish,” said Deborah Lugo, Vice President of Programming and Education at the Hobby Center. “I encourage artists from every corner of Houston to apply with projects that will advance their work, engage new audiences, and enrich the cultural life of our city.”
The initiative is designed to spotlight Houston’s vibrant creative landscape, supporting authentic work that reflects the city’s rich cultural diversity. Selected artists and organizations for the 2027-28 Season will receive comprehensive production, administrative and promotional support including a $20,000 stipend to help fund the creation and development of their performance, five days of full access to Zilkha Hall comprised of stage, dressing rooms, technical equipment, and production staff for rehearsals, tech and final performance as well as a marketing investment from the Hobby Center and project-specific promotional plan created and executed in partnership with the artist or organization.
Each week-long residency is valued at over $60,000 in support of the project.
Participating artists from this season have praised the program’s impact.
“The Houston Is Inspired residency at the Hobby Center was magical, and that is not hyperbole. Years from now, I believe we will look back on our Hobby Center experience as a pivotal moment in the journey of our artistic company,” said Lavanya Rajagopalan, executive artistic director of
Silambam Houston. “The gratification of local artists being recognized as worthy of a larger stage, and the confidence boost that gave us, justifies in full the name of the program. We were indeed inspired—by the production possibilities that opened up, the warmth and brilliance of the Hobby Center crew, and the final product that showed us what we were capable of given the right resources.”
Applicants must be a Houston-based performing artist or organization and demonstrate readiness to present a 90–120-minute performance in Zilkha Hall.
The Hobby Center invites all eligible arts organizations and artists based in Greater Houston to apply. To learn more about program eligibility and the application process, visit TheHobbyCenter.org.
Past participants included: Ishida Dance: Keepsake, Urban Souls Dance Company: Souls of Black Houston; FLY Dance: I Will Fly; Houston Ebony Opera Guild: I Too Sing, America; Ana Maria Martinez: Unveiling; The Ensemble Theatre: CJ Emmons’ I’m Freaking Talented; [jk] creativ: Our Road Home; and Silambam Houston: Kavya: Poetry in Motion. Artists in 2026-27 will include: Jalen Baker: RePaved; Musiqa: Looking Back, Leaping Forward; and Harrison Guy with Urban Souls Dance Company: Gentrified: Where have all the porches gone?.
The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts deepens understanding of shared humanity by presenting engaging performances and educational programs that strengthen a sense of belonging and help shape a more cohesive and connected Houston community. Opened in 2002, the Hobby Center campus features three distinctive performance spaces: 2,650-seat Sarofim Hall, 500-seat Zilkha Hall, and the intimate 150-seat Founders Club. Welcoming more than 450,000 audience members each year, the Hobby Center presents a broad range of arts experiences, including the Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center series, a full season of musical theater produced by Principal Resident Company Theatre Under The Stars, and performances by Houston, national, and international artists. Education and accessibility initiatives are central to the Hobby Center’s impact. Through programs such as the ExxonMobil Discovery Series, the Hobby Center welcomes thousands of students to free, curriculum-connected performances while providing educators with classroom resources to extend learning beyond the stage. Please visit TheHobbyCenter.org. Follow the Hobby Center on Facebook and Instagram.
