Texas Women for the Arts Awards $181,000 to Support Arts Education Statewide
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Grant funds to deepen youth arts programming across Texas, impacting over 239,000 children
AUSTIN, TEXAS [June 16, 2026] – Today, Texas Women for the Arts (TWA), a statewide giving circle under the Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT), has announced its 2026 grant recipients. This year, TWA has distributed $181,000 in funding to 24 Texas arts organizations across 12 cities, helping broaden access and enrich arts education for 239,190 children throughout the state.
Bringing together more than 200 philanthropists, community leaders and arts advocates from across Texas, TWA is guided by the mission to awaken and nurture the artist in every Texas child. Its members raise funds and award annual grants to select arts organizations statewide, helping strengthen arts education programming. Founded in 2005, this network of influential women has awarded more than $5 million to arts organizations across the state, positively impacting nearly 4 million children.
“The evidence is clear, and our State of the Arts Report confirms that the arts are transforming children’s lives across Texas,” says Heidi Marquez Smith, CEO of the Texas Cultural Trust. “Through this year’s grants, Texas Women for the Arts is making a direct and deliberate investment in the next generation of Texans, ensuring every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to create, imagine and reach their full potential through the arts.”
“The Texas Women for the Arts members believe every child deserves access to the arts,” says Nancy Seliger, 2026 TWA chair. “That conviction is what brings our members back year after year, giving their time, resources and hearts. Watching these grants reach communities across Texas, and knowing the lives they will shape, is what makes this work so meaningful.”
TWA grants are awarded on an annual basis in the spring, providing funding for community organizations, museums, festivals, after-school programs, summer camps and more organizations that deliver programming for Texas children across artistic disciplines such as music, visual arts, performing arts, dance, creative writing and theater.
The 2026 Texas Women for the Arts grantees:
- Austin Theatre Alliance, Austin
- Center for Women & Their Work, Austin
- The Austin Symphony Orchestra Society, Inc., Austin
- University of Texas Foundation for the benefit of Texas Performing Arts, Austin
- Zachary Scott Theatre Center, Austin
- Art Center of Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi
- Raps and Apps Inc. (d/b/a Murals For A Cause), Corpus Christi
- Southern Methodist University, Dallas
- Creative Kids, El Paso
- Kids Excel El Paso, El Paso
- Casa Mañana, Fort Worth
- Van Cliburn Foundation, Inc., Fort Worth
- Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corp., Houston
- Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Houston
- Hope Stone, Inc., Houston
- Jazz Houston, Houston
- Open Dance Project, Houston
- Marfa Theatre (d/b/a Marfa Live Arts), Marfa
- Odessa Arts, Odessa
- North Texas Performing Arts, Plano
- Ballet San Antonio, San Antonio
- The Majestic Empire Foundation, San Antonio
- Academy of Dance – Tyler Junior College, Tyler
- Victoria Ballet Theatre, Victoria
The 2026 Texas Women for the Arts Executive Committee:
- Nancy Seliger, Chair, Austin
- Robin Gilliland, Vice-Chair, Amarillo
- Isha Rogers Santamaria, Immediate Past Chair, El Paso
- Lisa Jimenez, Membership Co-Chair, El Paso
- Sarah Laucirica, Membership Co-Chair, El Paso
- Dawn Leatherwood, Membership Co-Chair, Tyler
- Lesa Rossick, Membership Co-Chair, Austin
- Michelle Blair, Membership Vice-Chair, Fort Worth
- Janis Brous, Membership Vice-Chair, Fort Worth
- Nina Seely, Nominating Chair, Austin
- Kara Belew, Nominating Vice-Chair, Austin
- Madison Peterson, Grants Chair, Austin
- Linda LaMantia, Grants Vice-Chair, Laredo
- Leslie Blanton, Governance Chair, Houston
- Lisa Ivie Miller, Governance Vice-Chair, Austin
- Nancy Hiles, Legacy Chair, Grand Prairie
- Janet Sherlip, Legacy Vice-Chair, McKinney
- Christy Berry, Travel Co-Chair, Dallas
- Eliza Duncan, Travel Co-Chair, Houston
- Janet Kent Wechter, Travel Vice-Chair, El Paso
To join Texas Women for the Arts, or to learn more about the Texas Cultural Trust and its programs, visit txculturaltrust.org. View the 2025 State of the Arts Report for data about how the arts improve Texans’ well-being, education and economy.
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About Texas Cultural Trust
Texas Cultural Trust is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts across the state. Programs of the Texas Cultural Trust include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, Partners in the Arts, and Arts Access. Texas Cultural Trust efforts are amplified by its partners 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 our state. For more information on the Texas Cultural Trust, please visit txculturaltrust.org.
About Texas Women for the Arts
Texas Women for the Arts (TWA) is a statewide giving circle and membership program with more than 200 members from across Texas. Since its inception in 2005, this philanthropic force and champion for the arts in education has awarded more than $5 million to arts organizations, impacting the lives of nearly 4 million Texas children. For more information, or to join, visit txculturaltrust.org/twa/.