‘We can have both’: Arts sector learns to blend data with human connection

Approximately 300 artists, arts leaders, and community partners filled the grand lobby of the Hobby Center for Performing Arts Monday morning for the second annual Greater Houston Arts Forum hosted by HouArts, Houston Arts Alliance, and the Hobby Center, which this year was paired with Texans for the Arts’ Texas Arts Advocacy Day, making it one of the largest gatherings of the sector all year.

In opening remarks, Houston Endowment President and CEO Elisa Villanueva Beard emphasized the essential role arts play in shaping communities where people feel connected to one another, see their cultures and experiences reflected, and develop a sense of belonging.

“We can measure so much of what the arts make possible, and we should,” said Villanueva Beard. “But the measure that matters most to me is the one you can’t put in a spreadsheet: whether people see their stories in this place, and feel like this is their city, too.”

Throughout the day, attendees from across the state learned how to use storytelling and data to amplify the sector’s impact  on educational outcomes, economic growth, and civic participation.

“Data is important…but at the end of the day, we make art because we want to belong,” said Bao-Long Chu, Houston Endowment program director for arts and culture. “That’s the story. We can have both. We can have rich data, and we have the human story.”

Houston Public Media livestreamed “Hello Houston” from the forum. Chu and SMU DataArts Director Jen Benoit-Bryan took the mic to explain what’s needed to keep the ecosystem strong: independent artists living and working in Houston.