The 40^th Anniversary Bayou City Art Festivals – in Downtown Houston in the fall and at Memorial Park in the spring – are produced by the Art Colony Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to producing high quality art festivals and events.  Over the past 40 years, the festivals have raised $2.6 million benefiting local arts and service organizations, as well as Houston parksthroughout the Greater Houston area.

 

In the mid 1970s, the festivals had grown in popularity and a street festival began to develop around the Westheimer Art Festivals. Artists from across the United States placed Houston on their calendars and Houstonians knew where to go for exceptional art, food and people watching. 

 

In 1976, the WCA became a federally recognized 501(c)-4 nonprofit organization that donated proceeds from its festivals to charitable organizations in the Houston community. By the early 1980s, the event had become a true happening, sanctioning 310 artists’ booths and an estimated 700 additional exhibitors. 

 

Shortly thereafter, the Westheimer Art Festival moved to a bank parking lot and began  charging an admission fee to assist with expenses. In 1992, the WCA celebratedits 20^th anniversary, and the art festival had gained
national recognition. That year the spring festival moved to the City of Houston parking lots at Main and Calhoun Streets. Though the site was large enough for the art festival, it was only a temporary location.  The WCA  concentrated on improving the quality of the art and encouraging more fine artists to attend. By this time, the organization had donated more than $1 million to charities and its festivals were ranked in the top 50 nationally by art magazines.

 

 In 1995, the WCA changed its name to the Art 
 Colony Association (ACA) and in the spring of
 the following year, the festival became a
 Houston Parks and Recreation Department-
 sponsored event. In the spring of 1997, the
 Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park made its
 debut and achieved the festival’s largest
 attendance while celebrating its 25^th 
 anniversary.  Since then, ACA has produced two 
 festivals annually in Memorial Park and 
 Downtown Houston with growing attendance and attractions each year. 

 

In 2010, both festivals were recognized as Sunshine Artist’s “200 Best” for the second consecutive year and received eight 2010 IFEA/Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards.  Most recently, the Bayou City Art Festivals were recognized with nine marketing awards from the Texas Festivals & Event Association including Best Event Program, Best Event within an Existing Festival and Best New Fundraising Program.   Executive Director, Kim Stoilis was also honored with the Carson Watt Professional of the Year Award.   

 

In 2011, Bayou City Art Festival is commemorating its 40th year in Houston with Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park on March 25 – 27 and Downtown on October 8-9.