Houston Is Inspired Mural by GONZO247 Unveiled at the Hobby Center

The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts unveiled GONZO247’s “Houston Is Inspired” mural on Friday, December 12. Kicking off the Houston Is Inspired 2025-2026 Season, patrons attending CJ Emmons – I’m Freaking Talented presented in partnership with The Ensemble Theatre were first to witness the newly installed mural.

Created by Houston’s own street-artist GONZO247, this season’s mural provides a visual experience to ignite a sense of anticipation and excitement as audiences prepare to enter Zilkha Hall.

GONZO247’s design serves as a visual journey, weaving together elements that reflect the three 2025-2026 featured productions in this second iteration of the Houston Is Inspired series mural at the Hobby Center in downtown Houston. The vibrant colors and interconnected motifs capture the energy, diversity, and complexity of the stories unfolding through these performances.

In approaching this piece, the artist sought to create something uniquely tied to this year’s series while also continuing to pay homage to the original "Houston Is Inspired" mural he painted in Market Square in 2013. The visual language and iconography in this piece are meant to celebrate both the continuity of the series and the evolving spirit of the city.

The idea of creating a ‘place and space’ where people can come together to learn, grow, and share their stories is something GONZO247 wanted to echo in this design saying, “It seems only fitting to incorporate the words Place and Space into the artwork, reflecting the importance of both physical and creative spaces in the development of community and culture.”

GONZO247 explained, “This piece is all about capturing the energy that makes Houston, Houston. It’s that raw, vibrant hustle—the music, the culture, the stories we’ve been telling for generations. I wanted to create something that pulls people in, gets them hyped for what they’re about to experience. Every color, every shape, every detail is telling a story, a vibe. This ain’t just a mural or a piece of art—it’s a journey. It's about the grind, the growth, and the inspiration we pass on to each other, on and off the stage.”

About the Mural: At the heart of the design is a stylized treble clef, symbolizing the core element of sound that connects all three productions. Music, rhythm, and beat play essential roles in telling these stories. Beneath the clef, an abstract heart represents the love, dedication, and passion that flow through the creative process. This heart is anchored by a backdrop of ladders—an allusion to the original mural—symbolizing the journey of rising from humble beginnings and building pathways to success. The ladders are transformed into abstract wings, representing the idea of reaching new, limitless heights as we create and grow, both as individuals and as a community.

Deep Roots: The theme of roots also runs deeply through these productions, each grounded in the cultural traditions of Houston or their respective communities. From the heart, roots stretch outward, growing into vines that sprout new life—symbolizing the continuous cycle of growth and renewal. The flowers blooming from these roots represent the next generation, carrying forward our stories, traditions, and the promise of reawakening. This concept mirrors the season of Spring, where new beginnings and the past are intertwined.

GONZO247 continued, “Art’s all about telling stories, but it ain’t just what you see—it’s what you feel. This piece speaks to the heart of everything we’re about: culture, rhythm, struggle, and triumph. When you walk into the space, you gotta feel the anticipation, the energy building up. That’s what I wanted to capture—the vibe of the whole city, the passion in the work, and that next-level hunger to rise up and create something fresh. It’s like the beat drops, and everything just connects.”

A subtle detail within the roots features a pair of hands in a traditional Indian dance pose, a direct reference to Poetry in Motion. This nod reflects the rich cultural influences that shape the narrative of this series.

In the background, the bricks pay tribute to the historic brick streets of Freedmen’s Town, a reference to Our Road Home, underscoring the connection between history, place, and identity.

Launched in 2023-2024, Houston is Inspired is a signature Hobby Center program that celebrates and amplifies the work of local artists and organizations through week-long residencies, offering access to the Hobby Center’s premier spaces, professional production support, and marketing resources.

The first two seasons featured curated partnerships, but with the introduction of an open application process, this season the Hobby Center took another meaningful step toward creating equitable access to Hobby Center partnerships and representing the full scope of Houston’s arts community.

The initiative is designed to spotlight Houston’s vibrant creative landscape, supporting authentic work that reflects the city’s rich cultural diversity. Selected artists and organizations for the 2025-2026 Season will receive comprehensive production, administrative and promotional support including a $20,000 stipend to help fund the creation and development of their performance. They will receive five days of full access to Zilkha Hall comprised of the stage, dressing rooms, technical equipment, and production staff for rehearsals, tech and final performance. Additionally, a marketing investment from the Hobby Center alongside a project-specific promotional plan will be created and executed in partnership with the artist/organization. Each week-long residency is valued at over $60,000 in support of the project.

To learn more about program eligibility and the application process, visit TheHobbyCenter.org.

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