Michele Leal: Houston Invests $1 in the Arts and Gets $28 Back

You've been quoted as saying your whole career has been about making room for stories that don't usually get told.

I imagine there's some new stories.

What kind of stories are coming out of this new role that you have?

Sure.

You know, I think the arts is really the best way to tell a Houston story, and it's that kind of...

in a way that under the radar kind of secret thing.

And then also the thing, you know, people come here from all over the world and they're just blown away by the incredible offerings that Houston has.

And so I think it's great to be in a position to be able to amplify that.

And, you know, similarly to much of the work I've done in the past, I think that The arts is another avenue, another pathway for different cultures, different constituencies to be able to celebrate themselves, to be able to amplify and uplift their heritage and to be able to tell their own stories.

Yeah.

Well, you imagine that I guess the diversity of the city should be reflected in the art as well.

Do you feel like we're there? Is there always some room to grow in that area?

There's always room to grow.

There have been a lot of changes over the years, certainly over the last decade in the city's to primary funding mechanisms for the arts around the grantmaking and the civic art programs and thinking more about that.

And that's really been important.

There's been, I think, with the civic art program, too, a real emphasis on Houston artists and on, you know, uplifting the local artist community.

So, yeah.

Yeah.

Let's talk about the name change briefly.

It was the Office of Cultural Affairs.

Why did you think that the mayor wanted to focus on arts in particular?

You know, I think he really wanted to just emphasize that and place more of a priority on the arts in talking about that work and then just have a little bit of a rebrand and a fresh start for the office.

Mm-hmm.

You've been quoted as saying your whole career has been about making room for stories that don't usually get told.

I imagine there's some new stories.

What kind of stories are coming out of this new role that you have?

Sure.

You know, I think the arts is really the best way to tell a Houston story, and it's that kind of...

in a way that under the radar kind of secret thing.

And then also the thing, you know, people come here from all over the world and they're just blown away by the incredible offerings that Houston has.

And so I think it's great to be in a position to be able to amplify that.

And, you know, similarly to much of the work I've done in the past, I think that The arts is another avenue, another pathway for different cultures, different constituencies to be able to celebrate themselves, to be able to amplify and uplift their heritage and to be able to tell their own stories.

Yeah.

Well, you imagine that I guess the diversity of the city should be reflected in the art as well.

Do you feel like we're there? Is there always some room to grow in that area?

There's always room to grow.

There have been a lot of changes over the years, certainly over the last decade in the city's to primary funding mechanisms for the arts around the grantmaking and the civic art programs and thinking more about that.

And that's really been important.

There's been, I think, with the civic art program, too, a real emphasis on Houston artists and on, you know, uplifting the local artist community.

So, yeah.

Yeah.

Let's talk about the name change briefly.

It was the Office of Cultural Affairs.

Why did you think that the mayor wanted to focus on arts in particular?

You know, I think he really wanted to just emphasize that and place more of a priority on the arts in talking about that work and then just have a little bit of a rebrand and a fresh start for the office.

Mm-hmm.