Our Community Partners

Houston is extraordinarily rich in the visual arts, and the Visual Studies program is committed to working closely with our city's vibrant museums and visual arts institutions.

These institutions already contribute to our campus by offering free or reduced price admission to students; providing special lectures and workshops for educators; and making visual resources available for use in classroom projects. Our linkages with these community partners will serve as a dynamic resource for faculty research and teaching and will give students internship opportunity and the chance to work with original art works. For our community partners, this collaboration will enhance their access to academic resources and aid their efforts at audience development, by giving them access to the university's extraordinarily diverse student body.

Fotofest: An international non-profit photographic arts and education organization based in Houston, which created the first international Biennial of Photography and Photo-related Art in the United States. In addition to its biennial, Fotofest sponsors exhibitions, international exchange programs, and publications.
The Houston Center for Photography: The center of photographic life in Houston, the Houston Center for Photography is an educational and cultural organization that deepens the understanding and appreciation of the photographic arts.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: Established in 1924, the MFAH is the sixth largest art museum in the United States. Its encyclopedic collection has particular strengths in American painting, photography, and sculpture. Its decorative arts collection includes rare pieces of American furniture, Audubon prints, and ceramics and silverworks, including pieces by Paul Revere.
Project Row Houses: Project Row Houses is a neighborhood based art and cultural organization located in Houston's Third Ward. Its projects engage the surrounding community and celebrate African-American history and culture.
Watermark: Fine Art Photographs and Books is committed to advancing photography as an art form and bringing new, contemporary photographers to Houston. The gallery is dedicated to photography as an art form that spans from museum quality collectables to premier decorative art for commercial and residential spaces. In addition to original prints, Watermark has a well-stocked library of fine art photography books, including many limited edition artist books and titles.