Houston Endowment - Jones Artist Awards Program 2027
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Request for Proposals
Jones Artist Awards Program at Houston Endowment Inc.
Response Deadline: Monday, September 7, 2026
Call Summary
Weingarten Art Group (WAG) invites artists who live in or are originally from the Greater Houston area to submit artwork for Houston Endowment’s 2027 Jones Artist Awards Program. The Program, entering its fifth year, was created by Houston Endowment in 2023 to recognize local artists and reflect the many stories and perspectives of Greater Houston’s residents. Jones Artist Awards recipients receive individual grants and the opportunity to exhibit their work in Houston Endowment’s headquarters.
Houston Endowment hosts three exhibitions annually that are curated by WAG for a prime space in the building’s lobby. The exhibitions are seen by the many visitors to the building and through online platforms.
Houston Endowment’s mission is to improve the quality of life for everyone in Greater Houston. As long time supporters and admirers of the vibrant arts community in Greater Houston, Houston Endowment views the Jones Artist Awards Program as an extension and component of its mission and a complement to its permanent art collection. For more on the Jones Artist Awards Program’s past exhibitions and featured artists, please visit the following links:
Jones Artist Awards Program website here
Jones Artist Awards Program (2024) video here
Award & Compensation
The 2027 Jones Artist Awards Program will feature three exhibitions: one solo exhibition and two group exhibitions with four artists each. A total of nine artists will be selected.
The solo exhibition artist will receive a $12,500 honorarium and group exhibition artists will receive a $4,500 honorarium.
The program also covers exhibition-related expenses such as framing, art transport to and from the artist, installation, professional photo and video documentation, and artist headshots. These services are provided at no cost to the artist through the program and will be managed by WAG.
Exhibition Theme
As Houston Endowment marks its 90th anniversary, the 2027 Jones Artist Awards theme invites artists to reflect on the meaning of milestones, inspired by Billy Collins' poem On Turning Ten. In the poem, the narrator reckons with the fading magic of childhood while coming to an awareness of what is next. As Collins writes, "it seems only yesterday I used to believe / there was nothing under my skin but light."
For the 2027 exhibitions, we invite artists to reflect on what transitions like this reveal: the chapters that close and the possibilities that open ahead. It is at these thresholds, whether turning ten or ninety, that our sense of who we are and where we are headed can come into focus.
We welcome artwork proposals that explore, but are not limited to, coming of age, rites of passage, cycles of renewal, changes seen in nature, and the evolving identities and landscapes of Greater Houston and its people.
To hear Billy Collins introduce and read this poem, please follow this LINK.
Exhibition Location
The exhibition space is approximately 30 ft wide and 11 ft tall. Site photos and specifications are available at this LINK.
Artist Eligibility
This opportunity is open to artists 18 years of age or over who live in or are originally from the Greater Houston area.
The Program has an emphasis on (but is not exclusive to) early career, underrecognized, or underrepresented artists. Artists in Houston Endowment's permanent collection and/or previous Jones Artist Awards recipients are not eligible.
Artwork specifications
Artists may submit existing artworks or proposals for new commissions.
Artists will be asked to indicate whether they are submitting for a solo exhibition, group exhibition, or are open to both. If open to both, artists may submit the same artwork for consideration.
Eligible media: Paintings, photography, works on paper, sculpture, site-specific or multi-media installations, lightworks, painted murals, digital designs that can be printed as vinyl wall covering, and video & new media.
All artworks will be returned to the artist at the end of the exhibition.
Installation considerations:
- Artworks should be installed on or near the wall. Sculptural works should not occupy the center of the space. Pedestals or shelves will be provided.
- Artworks may be suspended from the ceiling, but installation methods must avoid any damage to the building. Non-invasive options such as command strips or equivalent materials are encouraged and subject to approval by Houston Endowment.
- A 50” video screen is available and may be configured as a horizontal or vertical screen.
- Audio may only play on headphones, made available by Houston Endowment (no speakers).
Application Components
- You may submit up to 20 artworks for consideration. For existing artwork, please submit images or video. For proposals of new artwork, please submit renderings or sketches
- Image list: For each artwork, please include a thumbnail of the artwork, title, medium, date, and dimensions. You may include a brief description of artworks where further context is helpful
- Artist Statement (400 words max) that describes your artistic practice and explains how the submitted artworks or proposals relate to the 2027 exhibition theme. If you do not currently reside in Greater Houston, please also describe your connection to the region.
- Samples of past work or exhibitions: Submit up to 5 past artworks or images of past exhibitions. Samples should show relevant work representative of your practice and may include the proposed artwork.
- Artist resume or CV
Application materials may only be submitted via the Submittable platform. If applicants encounter any technical issues, please address this with WAG during the period open for questions.
The deadline for questions is 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. and the deadline for submissions is Monday, September 7, 2026, at 11:59 p.m..
Selection Process & Criteria
Artist submissions will be reviewed by WAG and Houston Endowment and will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Relevance of proposed artworks to the 2027 exhibition theme
- Scale and suitability of the proposed artworks for the space
- Applicant’s connection to the Greater Houston area, either through current residency or ties to the region
We are committed to a policy of providing opportunities to people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, veteran status, or physical ability.
Submission Instructions
Please submit all materials via Submittable at this link:
The deadline for submissions is Monday, September 7, 2026 at 11:59 p.m..
Timeline
Dates subject to change
RFP released: Monday, June 29, 2026
Questions due to ady@weingartenartgroup.com: 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, 2026
RFP due: Monday, September 7 at 11:59 p.m.
Artist(s) selected & notified: Friday, November 13, 2026
Exhibition 1 artwork delivered to WAG: Week of December 14, 2026
Exhibition 1 installation: Friday, January 29, 2027
Exhibition 1 opens: Monday, February 1, 2027
Exhibition 1 closes: Friday, May 21, 2027
Exhibition 2 artwork delivered to WAG: Week of April 12, 2027
Exhibition 2 installation: Thursday, May 27, 2027
Exhibition 2 opens: Tuesday, June 1, 2027
Exhibition 2 closes: Friday, September 17, 2027
Exhibition 3 artwork delivered to WAG: Week of August 9, 2027
Exhibition 3 installation: Friday, September 24, 2027
Exhibition 3 opens: Monday, September 27, 2027
Exhibition 3 closes: Friday, January 14, 2028
Artists will be notified promptly of their exhibition status. Those accepted will receive a Loan Agreement stipulating each party’s responsibilities.
For Further Information
Please contact Ady Avivi at ady@weingartenartgroup.com or 832-228-5452.