The Texas Commission on the Arts meets Sept. 3 to award the first and largest round of grants for the budget year that starts Sept. 1. The agency has set aside $18.6 million for grants this year — about 93 cents of every dollar it spends.
Most of that goes out in two forms. Arts Create grants are general operating money: a nonprofit theater or symphony can spend it on rent, lights and salaries rather than one particular production. Arts Respond grants pay for specific projects that serve a state goal — schools, health and human services, economic development, public safety, or agriculture and natural resources. Both require the recipient to match the state money dollar for dollar. At the equivalent meeting a year ago, the agency reported approving more than 1,099 grants worth over $16.5 million to groups in 133 Texas cities.
The commissioners will also redraw the state’s arts map. Texas designates cultural districts — mapped neighborhoods where a city has concentrated its arts institutions — and designation opens a grant program closed to everyone else, one that will pay for signage, branding and even building work. Fifty-seven districts are designated now. Sept. 3 brings votes on new designations, on boundary changes for existing districts and on recertifying districts that filed their annual reports.
Two smaller items matter to people outside the grant world. The commission picks the outside evaluators who will score nominations for the next class of Texas State Artists — the poet laureate, state musicians and the two visual artist posts the Legislature names each session. Nominations for those close Oct. 15. And commissioners elect a vice chair for the new year; the governor appoints the chair, but the commission chooses its other officers itself.
Applicants turned down for grants or district recommendations can appeal, and the commission takes those letters up before it votes on the awards themselves. Commissioners will also hear where the agency’s spending request for 2028 and 2029 stands; they adopted it in June, and it goes to the Legislature when lawmakers convene in January. The agency does not livestream; a recording is available on request after Sept. 4.
Meeting at a glance
- When
- 9 a.m. CT Thursday, September 3, 2026. The operative notice was filed August 19 at 1:51 p.m., replacing an earlier posting. The commission last met June 11.
- Where
- 1801 Congress Ave., Suite 4.300, Austin, and by videoconference. The presiding member attends in person and the physical location is open to the public.
- Governing body & chair
- Texas Commission on the Arts — nine members appointed by the governor to six-year terms, at least two of whom must live in a county of fewer than 50,000 people. Karen Partee is chair.
- Format
- Regular commission meeting held by videoconference under Government Code §551.127. Appeals are heard before the grant votes. The commission may go into closed session on any item the Open Meetings Act allows.
- Live video
- No public livestream. An audio or video recording is available on request after September 4 from dana@arts.texas.gov or (512) 936-6570.
- Full agenda
- Secretary of State Open Meeting Viewer · agency meeting page
Commission members
- Karen Partee — chair; McKinney; bank chief marketing officer.
- Nancy C. Windham — vice chair; Nacogdoches; regional economic development executive.
- Theresa W. Chang — Houston; Asia Society Texas Center.
- Diane Milliken Garza — Brownsville; Rio Grande Valley philanthropy leader.
- Mary Ann Apap Heller — Austin; Austin Opera.
- Patty Nuss — Corpus Christi; commercial real estate; symphony board member.
- Edwin K. “Kent” Perkins — Mingus; retired actor and shopping center owner.
- Marci Roberts — Marathon; gallery owner.
- Janine Turner — Valley View; actress; appointed 2026.
Roster from the agency’s commissioners page, dated May 2026, checked against the roll call in the June 2026 commission book and the governor’s appointment releases. All nine seats appear filled. Gary Gibbs has been executive director since 2007. Meeting contact: Dana Douglass Swann, (512) 297-4690.