The Arts
This facet focuses on support for the performing, visual and creative arts. A special thrust is advocacy for the preservation of our African-American cultural heritage. Over the past 26 years The Arts seems to have been a passion for Missouri City. The following activities are examples of our work in this arena:
Held art and creative writing contests at Reynolds Elementary School.
Provided a cultural Christmas experience for youth of Ft. Bend County.
Sponsored the African Kings Art Exhibit in conjunction with Anheuser-Busch Southwest Distributors.
Presented An Evening with Alex Haley, which drew an audience of over 1,000 to Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church for a book signing and presentation of his latest work; hosted a dinner for Alex Haley prior to this event.
Promoted the purchase of 1989 season tickets for the Ensemble Theatre, the only Black professional theatre in the southwest, to encourage the appreciation of drama and to offer financial support to the theatre.
Co-sponsored the Boy’s Choir of Harlem at the University of Houston with Pepsi Cola (1989), resulting in a collaborative project with the Society of Performing Arts (SPA), a major Houston arts organization, in a joint presentation of the Boy’s Choir the following year (1990).
Hosted an evening reception and showing of the works of artist Robert Cole Scott at the Contemporary Arts Museum in 1991.
Hosted members of the Chicago Dance Theatre as guests of the Chapter at a reception following their performance at Texas Southern University in 1990.
Co-sponsored at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), also with other organizations and individuals, the Jacob Lawrence exhibit “Jacob Lawrence: The Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman Series of Narrative Painting.” Links served as docents for this event, one of four unique collaborative experiences which brought four major artistic treasures to the Houston area. Together with the Houston and Port City Chapters of The Links, Inc., announced the establishment of scholarships at the MFAH Glassell School of Art in honor of Mr. Lawrence.
Collaborated with SPA for the opening night performance of the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
In a third collaboration with SPA, presented the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre at Jones Hall.
Again with the Houston and Port City Chapters, joined forces with The Houston Symphony to coordinate a concert featuring the Symphony and the Boys Choir of Harlem with proceeds benefiting the United Negro College Fund.
Co-sponsored with the Mid-America Art Alliance and the Cultural Arts Council of Houston the commissioning of a world premier work, “Brothers and Sisters, Husbands and Wives,” by playwright Celeste Bedford-Walker.
Sponsored the opening of Project Row Houses (PRH), a neighborhood-based art and cultural organization located in Houston's Third Ward. PRH was established in 1993 on a site of 22 abandoned shotgun houses to connect the work of artists with the revitalization of our community. It was inspired by the work of African-American artist Dr. John Biggers, who celebrated the social significance of the shotgun house community in his paintings. Missouri City had the naming rights for one of the Row Houses in1993-1994. For several years the chapter decorated the houses at Christmas time and served refreshments during PRH holiday tours.
Nominated John Biggers for the Sarah Hawkins Award. He was honored at the National Assembly in Nashville, Tennessee.
Held a Fine Arts Academy at the Texas Southern University/Houston Independent District (TSU/HISD) Laboratory School on Saturdays, where the students participated in music, dance/movement, drama, and visual arts. The Shell Oil Foundation provided assistance to the Chapter in funding this project.
Provided tickets and transportation for the TSU/HISD Laboratory School children to see the Houston Ballet production of “The Nutcracker.”
Collaborated with South Texas Links Six Cluster Chapters (Missouri City, Houston, Port City, Texas Spring Cypress, Gulf Coast Apollo and Fort Bend) to sponsor the V Day: Until the Violence Stops production, known as “The Vagina Monologues.” V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.