Start with the plain guide. Open the deeper layers when you want the ecosystem around it.
IntensityParticipateJoin a meeting, use a service, take part.
StewardSchool / College
0Orgs
0Policies
12Links
First readWhat to know+
Topic: Public art program bringing murals and cultural art to Harris County communitiesSource: Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis's OfficeFeatured Artist: John Biggers, honored with replica murals at Texas Southern UniversityWho Makes It Happen: Houston-based artists, through a deal between Commissioner Ellis and TSUReading Time: Under 1 minute
Next rungHow to step in+
Good first step: Share Neighbors and community members who care about local art and culture
Hey, did you know Commissioner Ellis has a program bringing free public art to Harris County? It honors social justice heroes and supports local artists. Check it out!
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis's Public Art program brings culturally meaningful art to Houston-area neighborhoods that may not have easy access to it. The program also honors local and national heroes of social justice. Projects range from large-scale replica murals of legendary artist John Biggers's work at Texas Southern University to an outdoor mural museum in Cypress Station built around student empowerment and environmental care.
The program has produced several standout projects. At Texas Southern University (TSU), two large replica murals bring the work of John T. Biggers (1924–2001) to public view. Biggers was one of the most influential African American artists of the twentieth century and the founding chairman of TSU's art department. 'Quilting Party' captures his memories of his mother and grandmother sewing quilts together — a metaphor for weaving the past into something new. 'Jubilee' recreates a scene Biggers witnessed in Ghana in 1957: a harvest festival celebrating the King and Queen of a farming community near Accra. Both murals were painted by Houston-based artists, curated by Street Art for Mankind (SAM), and made possible through a Community Benefits Agreement between Commissioner Ellis's office and TSU. Both were unveiled on October 7, 2025, with tributes to TSU student activists who led Houston's first civil rights sit-in in 1960. In Cypress Station, the 'I Choose to Rise' Outdoor Museum — a series of eight murals created in partnership with Spring Independent School District (ISD) — focuses on youth empowerment, environmental stewardship, and community safety. One mural, 'Our Shared Home,' painted by artist Emily Ding, features a boy planting native Texas wildflowers alongside local wildlife, set beneath Houston's signature clouds. Another, 'Free Spirits, Golden Hearts,' honors student perseverance and a growth mindset. The Cypress Station series also ties into Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) — an approach that uses art, lighting, and thoughtful design to make public spaces feel safer and more connected.
You can experience this public art firsthand. The TSU murals are located on campus, and the original paintings that inspired them are on permanent display at the Wortham Theater Center and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The Cypress Station mural series is an outdoor museum you can walk through. Use the Public Art Map linked on the program's website to find each piece. If you work with a school, neighborhood group, or community organization, learning how these projects came together — through partnerships, Community Benefits Agreements, and arts curation — can offer a model for bringing similar programs to your area.
No fixed date
Harris County, TX — including Texas Southern University and Cypress Station
This program connects to broader Harris County efforts around community safety (through CPTED principles), environmental education, youth leadership, and social justice history. It also links to the legacy of TSU as a historically Black university and cultural anchor in Houston. Locals interested in Houston's civil rights history, public murals, or neighborhood beautification will find this program relevant to those conversations.
Public art does more than decorate a wall. It reflects a community's shared values, celebrates its history, and reminds neighbors of their connection to one another. For communities that don't have easy access to galleries or museums, a mural on a building or a sculpture in a park can be a powerful equalizer. Commissioner Ellis's program recognizes that — and puts art where people already live, learn, and gather.
