Jalen Baker, Musiqa and More Set for 2026-2027 Houston Is Inspired Series at the Hobby Center

The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts announces Jalen Baker, Musiqa, and Harrison Guy featuring Urban Souls Dance Company for the 2026-2027 Houston Is Inspired Series, showcasing new and bold performances rooted in Houston's stories, culture, and creative spirit. Single tickets as well as three-show ticket packages on sale now and are available now.

Reflective of the Hobby Center's commitment to be an active partner in strengthening Houston's arts ecosystem, the organization continues to invest in local artists and serves as a portal for audiences to discover something new, unexpected, and distinctly Houston.

Kicking off the new season is a mainstay on the international jazz scene, Houston's own Jalen Baker with RePaved playing Dec. 4, 2026, in Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center.

The series continues with two performances in Zilkha Hall: Contemporary music ensemble Musiqa presents Looking Back, Looking Forward on March 19, 2027, followed by Harrison Guy featuring Urban Souls Dance Company on April 24, 2027, with Gentrified: Where have all the porches gone?, a performance exploring Houston's historic Black neighborhoods, memory, change, and the communities shaping the city's evolution.

Houston Is Inspired 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.

Selected artists and organizations for the 2026-2027 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, production staff for rehearsals, tech and final performance as well as community engagement support through the education department.  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.

The Houston Is Inspired series logo and mural, on display in Zilkha Hall, were created by artist GONZO247 for the Hobby Center, reflecting Houston culture and drawing from a visual theme in his mural at Market Square Park.

The Hobby Center's Houston Is Inspired 2026-2027 Series Performances in Zilkha Hall

Jalen Baker | RePaved | December 4, 2026

RePaved brings the stories of Houston's Third, Fourth, and Fifth Wards to life through a new suite of jazz music featuring a 9-piece chamber ensemble. Drawing on histories like Freedmen's Town and Juneteenth, RePaved connects past and present, revealing how these communities continue to shape the city we know today.

Musiqa | Looking Back, Looking Forward | March 19, 2027

Looking Back, Leaping Forward celebrates Musiqa's 25th anniversary with a double bill of new chamber operas exploring memory, change, and the choices that shape our lives.

Iphigenia by composer Anthony Brandt and librettist Neena Beber reimagines a Greek myth in a contemporary setting, where a proposed wind energy project becomes a flashpoint for a community navigating uncertainty. When shifting conditions force a reversal, the work explores the tension between progress and short-term comfort, asking what we're willing to give up, and who ultimately bears the cost.

In Follow the Sky by Pierre Jalbert and Stephanie Fleischmann, a philosophy student is haunted by the music of an aging violinist, whose playing permeates the apartment building where they live. Inspired by HP Lovecraft's The Music of Erich Zann, this meditation on music as a lifeline in the face of fractured memory explores the trauma of displacement and the meaning of home.

Harrison Guy featuring Urban Souls Dance Company | Gentrified: Where have all the porches gone? | April 24, 2027

Gentrified: Where have all the porches gone? is a multidisciplinary performance that centers the porch as a vital gathering place in Black communities, where neighbors connected, stories were shared, and everyday life unfolded in full view. Through dance, spoken word, and storytelling, the work brings forward voices from seven historic Black Houston neighborhoods: Fourth Ward, Fifth Ward, Third Ward, Independence Heights, Sunnyside, Acres Homes, and South Park.

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