Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT), a nonprofit dedicated to increasing awareness, access, and support for the arts in Texas, has announced the recipients of the first annual Arts Inspire Grants. These grants, offered through the Trust’s Arts Access program, are designed to reduce financial barriers to professional arts experiences for students in Title I schools and low arts access communities. This year, grants will be awarded to six schools across the following cities: Austin, Cleburne, Harlingen, Plainview, and Waco.
Each Arts Inspire Grant recipient will receive up to $1,000 for expenses associated with arts experiences, including artist honorarium fees for school visits or transportation and admission fees for field trips involving visual arts, dance, music, or theatre.
“Receiving the Arts Inspire Grant is so important for giving 120 Wheat Middle School, Art 2 students access to The Kimbell, Modern, and Amon Carter art museums, allowing them to engage with artworks in person and deepen their understanding of art, history, and culture by offering real-world experiences that foster critical thinking and visual literacy,” says Ahnna Escobedo, fine arts educator at A.D. Wheat Middle School. “This field trip ensures that all students, regardless of financial background, can benefit from an enriching educational experience.”
| The 2024 – 2025 Arts Inspire Grant recipients are as follows: |
| Treasure Hills Elementary, Harlingen CISD |
| A.D. Wheat Middle School, Cleburne ISD |
| Dean Highland Elementary, Waco ISD |
| Jaime D. Padrón Elementary School, Austin ISD |
| Parkdale Elementary, Waco ISD |
| Plainview High School, Plainview ISD |
“Every child deserves to be inspired by the creativity and wonder that the arts can offer,” says Texas Cultural Trust CEO Heidi Marquez Smith. “Through these inaugural grants, the Trust aims to provide our schools with access to impactful, in-person experiences to spark imagination in young Texas artists and enable them to reap the many benefits of a dynamic, quality arts education.”
These grants are offered on an annual basis and will reopen for applications in the fall of 2025. To learn more about the Texas Cultural Trust and available grants through its Arts Access program, please visit https://txculturaltrust.org/what-we-do/arts-access.
ABOUT TEXAS CULTURAL TRUST
The Texas Cultural Trust, established in 1995, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts across the state. Programs of the organization include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Arts Access, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, and Partners in the Arts. Texas Cultural Trust efforts are amplified by supporters who are instrumental in the success of leading a cohesive voice for the arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of the state. For more information, visit txculturaltrust.org.
