Orange Show Foundation

Programs: Outreach: the art car parade, introduced in 1988, has become a signature houston event with a live audience of more than 300,000. More than 387 artists parade their wheeled creations for awed onlookers in a celebration of the ubiquitous automobile that turns houston's streets into an open-air museum. The houston art car parade has generated press in der spiegal, smithsonian, life, vanity fair, autoweek, and the bbc's top gear, with extensive feature stories in newspapers such as the new york times, the washington post, los angeles times, chicago tribune, detroit free press, and usa today, not to mention coverage from french, japanese, british, korean, and german television crews. The 2017 parade (in fy 2017) generated 36 million circulations and impressions worldwide, with $498,113 in media ad value and $4,211,014 in publicity value. It is the oldest and largest event in a national calendar of art car programs. It is also one of the largest public art events in the country, allowing people of every age and from every neighborhood to create and celebrate works of art using the car literally as a vehicle for self-expression.

stewardship: the orange show monument: this is paramount to the orange show foundation's programming as all that the organization does is derived from the unique, single-minded vision of the momument's creator, mckissack, and his work. The organization introduces thousands of tourists from houston and beyond to the orange show environment and visionary art through tours and on-site workshops, lectures, concerts, films, storytellers, and site-specific performances. The orange show foundation's great hope is that its restoration efforts will allow the orange show to continue to serve as a testament to the vibrant visual arts community of houston and provide a venue for local supporters to value individual artistic expression for years to come.

stewardship: smither park: developed and inspired by visionary artist dan phillips, the organization opened up this mosaic-covered park on october 1, 2016 in memory of the prominent folk-art promoter, john h. Smither. The park's attractions are all filled with mosaic work that were designed by dozens of artists and are composed of recycled and found materials. This design was intended to promote and sustain the orange show foundation's philosophy of self-taught art to the greater public. Throughout the entire year, smither park offers its visitors a functional play land for children, along with spaces dedicated for dance, film, theater and musical performances.

stewardship:education program: the orange show foundation offers award-winning eyeopener tours to share visionary art and community treasures with thousands each year. Tours are based on documentation and research housed in the largest visionary art archive in the southwest. Stewardship: beer can house: conservation of the beer can house was completed in 2008, although continued preservation is actively ongoing. On february 29, 2008, the orange show center held a celebration in honor of the opening of the beer can house, houston mayor bill white "cut the ribbon" on march 6, 2008, and the beer can house officially opened to the public on march 8, 2008. Currently, regular historical tours of the grounds, house, and interior exhibit on weekends are offered. In fiscal year 2016-2017, 3,619 people visited the beer can house, with tourists coming from around the world. Private tours have also been arranged for senior citizen groups, civic organizations, schools, and social clubs. Stewardship:super bowl partnerships: during the 2017 super bowl, the foundation worked closely with corporate partners such as noble energy and anheuser-busch to create unique art projects and exhibits with the aim of promoting community involvement and appreciation of local art.