On September 18, 2025, Houston came together on a bright morning to celebrate something bigger than public art. We celebrated people, partnership, and the power of creative connection.
The HueMan:Shelter Ribbon Cutting Ceremony marked the official unveiling of six public art installations across Midtown Houston. These works were co-created by local artists and individuals with lived experience of homelessness through Career & Recovery Resources’ UpRise Enterprise Program.
Funded by a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies through the Public Art Challenge, HueMan:Shelter turns public space into a platform for storytelling and understanding. Each installation invites viewers to see the issue of homelessness with new eyes, through color, movement, and collaboration.
A Morning of Gratitude and Leadership
The ceremony began with a welcome from Cynthia Alvarado, Director of the Midtown Cultural Arts & Entertainment District, who reminded everyone that HueMan:Shelter is not just about beautification, but transformation.
“At Midtown, our mission has always been placemaking and creating spaces that reflect who we are as a community,” Alvarado said. “HueMan:Shelter fits beautifully into that vision. It’s about shifting outdated narratives, creating opportunity, and building compassion through art.”
City leaders joined the celebration, including Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum and Council Member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, who both spoke about Houston’s leadership in addressing homelessness through partnership and empathy.
Castex-Tatum reaffirmed the city’s commitment to ending street homelessness by 2026, noting that projects like HueMan:Shelter help make that work visible and deeply human.
“This project tells the stories behind the statistics,” she said. “It reminds us that every Houstonian deserves to be seen, supported, and heard.”
Evans-Shabazz, who chairs Houston’s Arts & Culture Committee, welcomed guests to District D and reflected on how art has long been part of the district’s identity.
“This is where hope is being made visible,” she said. “HueMan:Shelter is not just about public art. It is about transformation, lifting voices, and creating jobs.”
Cutting the Ribbon, Opening the Story
As leaders, artists, and partners gathered, the ceremonial ribbon was cut, marking both an ending and a beginning.
The six completed installations now live throughout Midtown, from immersive underpass murals and artist-designed METRO bus shelters to large-scale public artworks that weave together sound, light, and storytelling.
Each piece represents collaboration between Houston-based artists and participants from the UpRise Enterprise program. Together, they transformed materials and ideas into art that asks us to see one another with empathy and dignity.
Following the ceremony, guided bus tours invited guests to visit each installation, meet the artists, and hear firsthand the stories behind the work.
Acknowledging Our Partners
HueMan:Shelter exists because of deep collaboration and shared vision.
We extend heartfelt thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies, the City of Houston, Midtown Houston, METRO, TxDOT, Career & Recovery Resources, the Coalition for the Homeless, and the Houston Arts Alliance.
Most importantly, we thank the artists and UpRise participants, whose creativity, honesty, and courage are the foundation of this project.
Experience the Art of Humanity
The ribbon has been cut, but the story continues.
Each HueMan:Shelter installation across Midtown holds a piece of this shared journey. Together, they tell a collective story of resilience, hope, and belonging.
Explore the full collection and meet the artists who made it possible by visiting the HueMan:Shelter Map. Walk the Milam corridor, visit the Career and Recovery Resources campus, and experience the art that is transforming how Houston sees itself.
About HueMan:Shelter
HueMan:Shelter is a public art and social impact initiative funded through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, with support from the City of Houston, Houston Arts Alliance, Midtown Houston, Career and Recovery Resources, the Coalition for the Homeless, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.
The project connects Houston-based artists and individuals with lived experience of homelessness to co-create public artworks that inspire empathy, celebrate identity, and spark dialogue.
Together, these works remind us that art is more than something to see. It is something to feel, to walk through, and to share.