Art Education Programs and Community Outreach

Part of our mission is to provide an opportunity for the creation of personal artistic expressions, and one of the ways we do that is through educational outreach to the surrounding community. You're never too old to learn about, experience or create art, so we have developed interesting and exciting programming for children and adults alike.

In addition, our archive and library are used by students, scholars, the media and artists.

Summer Camps

Summer Camps at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art are a wonderful opportunity for kids ages 11-15 to immerse themselves in a unique, hands-on art experience taught by an expert in their field. With a mission of celebrating the artist in everyone, these summer camps are designed to bring out the student’s creative side, push their boundaries, and ultimately create a lasting love of art and the process of creating it. Check out our summer camps for 2015 on our Summer Camp page.

Orange Show Eyeopener Tours

Orange Show Eyeopener Tours are art-filled afternoons and weekend trips of creative exploring and one-of-a-kind experiences. Every tour is different. For more information about becoming involved and the history of the Eyeopener Tours visit our Eyeopener Education page.

Community Murals

Inspired by the belief that art is for everyone, the Orange Show enriches the surrounding community with colorful vibrant murals.

Since the foundation’s inception, beginning with the first Eyeopener Tours, we have worked to raise awareness about the rich history of community murals and the importance of their presence in Houston’s predominently Hispanic East End neighborhood.

Art-A-Peel

The Orange Show Houston believes that there is an artist within each of us. We are all born with creative instincts that for many diminish over time. Through our Hands-On Art Workshops we help people reconnect with their creative spirit. An unending curiosity and unquenchable appetite for the drive to create fuels our diverse array of art education programs that encourages artists of every age and community.

Outreach through Art Cars

We are strengthening and expanding our educational outreach as we move toward the future. Art educator and award-winning Art Car artist Rebecca Bass has recently joined the staff of the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art as Educational Outreach Specialist. Rebecca recently retired from teaching art with at-risk high schools in Houston Independent School District (HISD), where during that time she created 28 Art Cars with her students, many of which are currently residing in art museums and Ripley Believe It or Not locations throughout the world.

Rebecca's teaching experience, coupled with a strong background in both art and psychology, has allowed her to develop her own style of teaching that instills students with both technical skills and self-motivation. Her methods give them an appreciation of their own abilities as a creator and artist, ultimately resulting in the gratification of success. She has been a driving force behind bringing Art Car construction to the forefront of art education, as well as involving students in other community art projects. The crux of her teaching has always been helping students become well-rounded, confident individuals.

Newly developed programs involving Art Cars include:

Art Cars in the Schools - Bringing Art Car artists from across the city into art classes at area High Schools and mentoring the students in their quest to create an art car.
Art Car Bus - A roving classroom on wheels, the Art Car Bus will travel to different schools and learning institutions to provide on-site classes pertaining to creative arts.
Art Car Garage - Utilizing the warehouse space owned by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Arts, the Art Car Gargage will be a state of the art

Folk Art Library & Archive

We maintain an extensive library of books, periodicals, and archival photos and video of folk artists and folk art sites across the world. Anyone is welcome to visit the Orange Show's Folk Art Library and learn more about the fascinating world of Folk Art.

Our Folk Art Library is located at the Orange Show's offices, 2402 Munger Street, Houston, TX 77023, and is open from 10am - 6pm Monday thru Friday.